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bird's-eye 
Bible Study 



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BY 

ALEXANDER PATTERSON 



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Bird's-Eye Bible Study 



{Formerly "A Busy Man's Bible'') 



BY 

Rev. Alexander Patterson 

Director Presbyterian Training School, Chicago 

Author of *'The Greater Life and Work of Christ," "The Bible As It Is,' 
and "The Other Side of Evolution." 



WITH INTRODUCTION BY 

REV. J. WILBUR CHAPMAN, D. D. 




Chicago 

The Bible Institute Colportage Association 

826 La Salle Avenue 






Books by Rev. Alex. Patterson 

THE GREATER WORK AND LIFE OF CHRIST 

As Revealed in Scripture, Man and Nature 

408 Pages. Cloth. $1.50 
I. Christ in the Eternal Past. II. Christ in Creation. III. Christ 

in the Old Testament Age. IV. Christ in His Earthly Life. 

V. Christ in His Present State and Work. VI. Christ in the 

Day of the Lord. VII. Christ in the Eternal Future. 

"The method of the writer is that of the student who has a full 
appreciation on the one hand of the demands of modern scholarship 
for accurate and sound exegesis, and of the capacity of ordinary readers, 
on the other, to understand these results."— T/r* Interior, Chicago. 

"Great as the task is and supremely difficult. Dr. Patterson has 
done it well."— T/i« Expository Times. Edinburgh, Scotland. 

THE BIBLE AS IT IS 

A simple method of mastering and understanding the Bible. Illui- 
trated by diagrams and charts, giving the effect of hours of study at a 
glance. 250 pages. Cloth. 75 cents. By mail. 83 cents 

THE OTHER SIDE OF EVOLUTION 

An Examination of Its Evidences 

With an introduction by George Frederick Wright, D. D., LL. D., 
Oberlin College. 

This book undertakes to show that Evolution is not accepted by all 
scientists and gives names of many who oppose it; that it is admittedly 
an unproven theory; that it has never been verified and cannot be; 
that not a single case has ever been known, nor any case by which 
such changes could take place. Its arguments are fairly stated and 
considered one by one. It is known by its own principles to be un- 
philosophical and unscientific, and simply a revamping of the old 
doctrine of chance clothed in scientific terms. Over a hundred 
writers are cited, including all the great evolutionists. 

174 Pages. Cloth. 60 cents net 
Thb B1BI.B Institute Coi^portagb AssociATioif 

826 I<A SAI.X.R AVBMDE. CSICAGO 



Copyright,. l9ll, by 

The Bible Institute Colportage Association 

OF Chicago 



©CI.A3()0952 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Introduction — By Rev. J. Wilbur Chapman, 

D.D 9 

Foreword ii 

I. Why Study the Bible . : 13 

II. How TO Study the Bible . 15 

III. Bird^s-eye View of the Bible 19 

IV. Genesis 22 

V. Abraham AND his Descendants 25 

VI. The Rise of Israel. Ex. Lev. 

Num. Deut 27 

VII. Formation of the Nation . 29 

VIII. The Law ....... 34 

IX. Joshua and the Conquest . 40 

X. Judges and Ruth .... 42 

XL The Kingdom. I-II Sam. I- 

II Kings. I-II Chron. . . 45 

XII. The Division of the Kingdom 48 

XIII. Israel AND Her Kings . . . 51 

XIV. Judah's History 53 

XV. The Poetical Books. Job. 

Psalms. Prov. Ecc. Song. 56 
XVI. Israel's Prophets. Hosea 

Amos 61 

XVII. Nineveh and Her Prophets 

Jonah. Nahum 64 

XVIII. Judah's Prophets. Pre-Exilic 
Joel. Obad. Mic. Isa. 

Zeph. Hab. Jer. Lam. 66 
XIX. The Exile and its Prophets 

Ezek. Dan 71 

7 



CHAPTER 

XX. 

XXL 

XXII. 
XXIIL 

XXIV. 

XXV. 

XXVI 

XXVII. 

XXVIII. 

XXIX. 

XXX. 

XXXI. 

XXXII. 

XXXIII. 
XXXIV. 



XXXV. 

XXXVI. 

XXXVII. 

XXXVIII. 

XXXIX. 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Prophets of the Restoration 

Hag. Zach. Mai. ... 74 
Lessons of the Old Testa- 
ment 77 

The New Testament ... 79 
The Four Gospels. Matt. 

Mark. Luke. John . . 81 

The Life of Christ ... 84 

The Acts of the Apostles . ^^ 

Paul 90 

The Epistles 93 

The Epistle to the Romans . 95 
The Corrective Epistles 

I-II Cor. Gal 97 

The Imprisonment Epistles 

Eph. Phil. Col. Phm. . 100 
The Eschatological Epistles 

I-II Thess 103 

The Pastoral Epistles. I-II 

Tim. Titus. (Phm.) . .105 

The Epistle to the Hebrews 108 
The General Epistles 
James. I-II Peter. I-II-III 

John. Jude no 

The Revelation 114 

The Way of Salvation . .120 

Power in Prayer 123 

The Holy Spirit .... 127 

How TO Win Souls to Christ 130 



INTRODUCTION 
By Rev. J. Wilbur Chapman, D.D. 

It was at my suggestion that Dr. Patterson pre- 
pared the manuscript for ^^A Busy Man's Bible." 

To be familiar with God's Word is the secret of a 
successful Christian life. It is likewise the secret of 
holy living. Most busy people do not study the Bible, 
and this, not only because they are busy, but because 
they are unable, on account of training or occupation, 
to quickly grasp the spirit of the Book. 

Dr. Patterson in these pages presents the subject 
to us in such a way that a ten minutes' study each 
day would, in a very short time, familiarize the stu- 
dent with the spirit of the Bible, and once gaining a 
taste for it, no other literature could satisfy him. 

I believe this book will have a wide sale. I expect 
to present it in all the meetings I have the privilege of 
conducting. 



FOREWORD 

This little book is intended to create a desire for 
Bible study and to aid in prosecuting it. Three 
features are presented, simplicity, systematic study 
and spirituality. 

1. Simplicity. This book is for busy people. 
The chapters are short and aim to present a single 
subject and give the essential view at a glance so as 
to leave a photograph of the special book or part in 
the mind. All questions as to origin, manuscripts, 
dates, etc., are purposely omitted. We must first be- 
come acquainted with the Bible as we have it in the 
English versions before w^e can properly consider these 
questions. 

2. Systematic Study, Most Bible study is scrappy, 
a bit here and a bit there. It never can be mastered 
so. It must be seen in its great outlines and the great 
divine plan, so that it w^ill remain in the memory as a 
well known and well loved landscape. We aim here 
to enable one to ^^think it through" and so have at 
hand its wealth of material for meditation, devotion, 
or service. 

3. Spirituality, The spiritual content of the 
Bible is its peculiar quality. It is that the human 
heart craves when it wants the Bible and its religion 

11 



12 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

at all. A few chapters at the close are given on the 
application of the Bible to devotional and practical 
purposes.* 

*For those who wish to pursue these studies farther this same 
plan is followed and expanded in the volume '* The Bible as It 
Is. ' 75c. ; by mail, 83c. 



CHAPTER I 
WHY STUDY THE BIBLE ? 

In order to create a desire for Bible study we give 
some reasons why every person should begin and 
continue Bible study. 

1. The Bible is the most popular book in the world. 
There are published each year ten million copies, half 
by private publishers and half by Bible Societies in 
500 languages. Every department store sells the 
Bible to-day. There are more Bibles sold than of all 
the new novels together. 

2. No one has a right to be called well informed 
who is not acquainted with the Bible. A thorough 
knowledge of the Bible is in itself a fair education. 
The English Bible is the fountain of Anglo-Saxon. 
The Bible is necessary to a proper knowledge of 
history, lav/, science, philosophy, sociology, political 
economy and many other studies. 

3. It contains the highest system of ethics and 
produces the highest types of character, either in the 
individual or community, when accepted and fol- 
lowed. 

4. It is the one great authority of the Christian 
Religion. All sects and denominations rest upon it. 
Among the many conflicting opinions why not go for 

13 



14 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

oneself to the fountain head? It is the people's book. 
Anyone may study it. 

5. The way of Salvation is here, and only here, 
clearly and fully shown. Why we need Salvation, 
and what it is and how obtained and the security and 
privileges of the Christian, are here revealed. 

6. Power for service and the way to get it is here 
shown. A great part of this power, and the instru- 
ment of it, is in knowledge of the Bible. Whoever 
would be used of God and help humanity must get 
his fitting here. 

7. Of the other world all we know is what is here 
given. Where our departed friends are and where 
and what we shall be, is here revealed. 

In short every inducement for this life and that to 
come urges us to study the Bible. 



CHAPTER II 
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE 

1. Get a good, well bound, fair print Bible; one 
that will last a lifetime. Get a few aids, such as a 
Concordance, a Bible Dictionary, a Bible Text 
Encyclopedia, Topical Text Book. 

2. Set apart a time for study. Unless you do this 
and keep it sacredly you will find other things taking 
the time and mAich that has been learned is lost. 

3. Begin with prayer. It is God's book and He 
has promised His Spirit to aid us. He will surely do 
so. 

4. Use pencil and paper. Make notes to impress 
teachings upon the memory, and to preserve new 
thoughts that come to you. 

5. Have some system of study. We give one here, 
but you will probably find one of your own better 
than any other for you. 

6. Continue persistently, even when you don't feel 
like it. Use special times, such as holidays, for 
special parts of the study. 

7. Have in mind some theme or subject for medita- 
tion while walking or riding on the train or in a sleep- 
less night. Have a pocket Testament or Bible for 
the train. 

15 



16 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

8. Study for your own edification and not alone for 
the Sunday school lesson, sermons, addresses, etc. 
Your own spiritual refreshment and growth is first. 
You cannot help others until you are first helped. 

9. Get your own understanding of a passage or 
subject through study and the aid of the Holy Spirit 
before looking into the helps. Have the joy of origi- 
nal discovery. It' s a great delight. But examine 
carefully any varying view you get. 

10. Obtain the local and historical meaning first 
before applying it. First get interpretation then 
application. 

11. .The plain, literal meaning is to be taken unless 
there is clearly shown some figurative meaning. 

12. The Bible is self-explanatory. Obscure parts 
are made clear by others. 

13. Words and expressions have sometimes a Bible 
meaning apart from the usual meaning. This should 
be obtained. ■ 

14. Above all it is to be borne in mind that the 
Bible is a spiritual book and its history and philosophy, 
as well as its religion, are to be studied from that 
standpoint, if its own declared purpose and meaning 
are to be understood. 

15. The Bible is a supernatural book. It so claims 
to be. Therefore we need not expect to understand 
all parts easily and some not at all. Light however 
is increasing and it is the privilege of each one to 
endeavor to contribute to it. 



HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE 17 



Bible marking has been found useful when properly 

done. Its use is to impress the mind with some 

valuable thought or to recall the same at other times 

or to permit the ready use of the thought in public 

address or teaching. It is however subject to great 

abuses and the markings may becom^e in time only 

^ an eye -sore and a hindrance to the reading and use 

of one's Bible. The most common fault is too much 

, marking and markings that seem pertinent at the 

i time but afterwards for some reason lose their im- 

,' portance or use. 

It is better to use pencil marks at first so that they 
may be erased as they are found unnecessary. By 
' degrees one will find what he desires and finds neces- 
sary. 

I . Marginal markings of the best texts and passages. 

These are always needed and the marks will draw the 

attention to them at once and assist in finding them 

' readily. Let the marks be on the outside margin of 

the text and the lines made straight and not too heavy, 

, 2. The names, places, and texts and passages on the 

lOld Testament that are quoted or referred to in the 

I New Testament and the same also in the New Testa- 

•|ment. The New being explanatory of the Old, this 

I aids in ready reference. These should be lightly 

'tinted with a colored pencil or ink. There are some 

^versions that show these quotations thus. 

' 3. Important marginal references may be shown 



18 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

by a small circle around the reference letter. Other 
references should be added as found. 

4. Initials or dates may be placed opposite some 
text or passage on which a sermon or address has 
been heard so that it will recall the substance of it. 
Mark texts which are associated with one's own spir- 
itual history. 

5. Brief outlines of the address or theme may be 
added. 

6. Lines connecting one sentence or word with 
another may be drawn. Underline the words or sen- 
tences, then draw a line connecting the one with the 
other. (See ''Notes from My Bible'' and ''How to 
Mark your Bible." By D. L. Moody.) 

7. Other readings or renderings may be added in 
the Margin. 



CHAPTER III 
BIRD^S-EYE VIEW OF THE BIBLE 

The study of any book should begm by obtaining 
a general view of its form and subject. This is best 
had in the Title Page and Table of Contents. So we 
begin the Bible. 

The Holy Bible. Bible means book. The 
article declares it is the only holy book. No other 
has ever been known. It is Holy in its Author, its 
contents, and its effects. 

The Old and New Testaments. This title 
and its meaning is found in 2 Cor. 3: 6-14, common 
version. It means Covenant and is used as referring 
to the Old Covenant of the Old Testament and the 
New Covenant of the Gospel in the New Testament. 
The distinction between those two great parts should 
be noted. The Old Testament is by Moses and the 
Prophets; the New by Christ and the Apostles. The 
Old was given to Israel; the New to the Church. 
The Old tells of God's dealings and will for man as 
nations and in secular things principally; the New, 
his dealings with man as individuals and in spiritual 
and eternal things principally. As we have both 
interests, we need both these hemispheres of divine 
truth. 

19 



20 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

The List of the Books of the Bible should be 
examined. It will be found that the sixty-six books 
fall into four well defined classes in each Testament. 
These can be arranged and memorized easily as 
follows : 

The Pentateuch J containing the first five books. 
These contain laws and precepts. 

The Historical, twelve books, the history of the 
Chosen People. 

The Poetical, books of principles, five in number 

Prophetical, books containing teachings and pre- 
dictions, seventeen in all. 

The New Testament has the same fourfold division • 
The Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and the Revelation. 

The plan of the Bible may be seen in the following 
arrangement and this is the best plan for memorizing 
the books, which is as necessary as learning the 
alphabet. All are arranged around the four words: 
Precept, Practice, Principle, Prophecy. 

The Old Testament The New Testament 

The Pentateuch Books of Precept The Gospels 
Historical Books Books of Practice The Acts 
Poetical Books Books of Principles The Epistles 
Prophetical Books Books of Prophecy The Revelation 

This is logical order. It is the Order of a human 
life. We first learn precepts as children. Later we 
put these into practice, and later still acquire principles 
and at the close we are retrospective and prospective. 

All this shows Unity in the Bible as it is. It comes 



BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF THE BIBLE 21 

to us on a well defined Plan. Lines of Unity run all 
through it also. It shows unity of teachings, of his- 
tory, of prophecy, and experience. 

A plan of Development may be seen running through 
from first to last. The early books contain the germs 
of all truth. In the later books these are developed 
in well defined systems of truth. A development of 
Ethics is also seen. The standard of the later books, 
especially the New Testament, is far above the earlier. 
So also as to Spiritual Experiences. Each great 
character shows a rise over all before him. 



CHAPTER IV 
GENESIS 

The place to begin systematic study of the Bible is 
at the beginning. Here are the fundamental teach- 
ings that underly the whole. 

Genesis means the generation or beginning. It 
gives the beginning of the world, of man, of sin, of 
penalty, of salvation, of the history of man and the 
origin of the church. 

It gives the history of three families: Adam's, 1-5; 
Noah's, 6-1 1 ; Abraham's, 12-50. In these three we 
will see God's plan for man physically, socially and 
spiritually. The great topics to be studied are 
Creation, the Fall, the Flood, the Dispersion, Abra- 
ham and his descendants. 

Creation 
All science says there was a beginning. Creation is 
the only conceivable origin. The first chapter of 
Genesis does not deal with the vast universe, but 
only with our world and its surroundings including the 
sun and planets. Nor as to their origin or time or 
process of formation have we any account save that in 
the beginning God created it. Between the first and 
second verses is a great gap in which all that geology 

22 



GENESIS 23 



^Recount of the coming of the present order of things. 
We see all coming in orderly scientific progression: 
first, the elements; then vegetation in scientific order, 
grass, herb and tree; then the lower orders of animals, 
and then the higher orders and man last and high- 
est of all. The Fourth Day's work was the adjust- 
ment of the relations of the sun and planets to 
the earth's present needs. Ail this, as the great geol- 
ogist Dana affirms, attesting the divine origin of the 
account. 

Creation is the type of regeneration. The gospel 
works in the order of the Six Days— First light, then 
life, then progressing fruits of life, and last of all the 
full manhood in Christ; Eden crowning all. 2 Cor. 
5:17; Eph. 2:10; 4:24; Col. 3:10; Rev. 2:7. 

The Fall 

This tells how sin came to man and with it death 
and all evils. It is affirmed by Christ and the Apostles, 
Matt. 19:4-5; Rom. 5: 12. It has also an echo in 
the traditions of all nations. 

Typically Adam is a representative of Christ 
(i Cor. 15:22, 45). Christ is the representative of the 
race. His work passed out over the race as Adam's 
did (Rom. 5:14-19). Adam brought death, Christ 
brought life. Where Adam failed, Christ stood fast. 
By one sin Adam brought death; by one act of right- 
eousness, His death, Christ brought life. 



24 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

The Deluge 

Every nation that has records or traditions has 
accounts of the Deluge; all agreeing in the main 
points with the Bible account. Traces also of it are 
found all over the world. It was the culmination of 
man's sin that began at the Fall. Man began anew 
after the fall clothed in skins, advancing to invention, 
but becoming more sinful until the godly part merged 
with the ungodly and an era of vice reigned that left 
nothing possible but the extinction of the corrupted 
race. Its lessons are God's penalty for sin and man's 
failure without God. The apostles cite it as a type 
of the judgments of the Last Day. 2 Peter 3. Christ 
cites it as showing the state of things at the end. 
Matt. 24: 37. 



1 



CHAPTER V 
ABRAHAM AND HIS DESCENDANTS 

With Noah God began the social regeneration of the 
world, giving immunity from another deluge, a better 
soil and climate, and readjustment of the races of men, 
with laws for their welfare. With Abraham God 
began the spiritual regeneration of the world. He 
was the progenitor of the chosen race that occupies 
not only four-fifths of Genesis but nearly the whole 
Old Testament. He is noted for his call, his life of 
pilgrimage and especially his faith. The Covenant 
given to him Paul tells us is the basis of the Gospel 
and Abraham is ^^the Father of us all.'' Rom. 4; 
Gal. 3; John 8: 56; Heb. 11:8. 

Isaac, After Abraham's personal history comes 
that of his descendants. Isaac however has but a 
single chapter. He is the silent and submissive 
character, a type of Christ in his humiliation and sub- 
mission to the Father's will, his death and resurrec- 
tion. Heb. 11: 17. 

Jacob. This is a most unlovely character. He 
robs his brother, deceives his father, cheats his uncle, 
yet is given visions such as few had and a princely 
title, Israel, the name thereafter of the nation. He is 
a type of pure, undeserved grace under the Covenant. 

25 



26 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

Grace is free, undeserving favor. Jacob is therefore 
made a type of the church as a subject of pure grace. 
Gal. 3 : 7-14. 

Joseph, Much space is given Joseph. He was 
the preserver of his people. His is the most dramatic 
narrative in the Bible. We notice the strange corre- 
spondence between the life of Joseph and that of 
Jesus. Both were beloved of the Father, hated by 
their brethren, betrayed by them, sold, descended into 
Egypt, in affliction, raised to glory and finally revealed 
to his brethren. 

All Genesis may be grouped around five names: 
Adam 1-5; Noah 6-1 1; Abraham 12-26; Jacob 27-37; 
Joseph 38-59. No other book in the Bible contains 
such a succession of interesting and generally well- 
known narratives: Creation, Eden, Cain and Abel, the 
Flood, the Tower of Babel, Hagar, Lot and Sodom, 
Ishmael, Isaac offered, Rebecca, Jacob and Esau, 
Jacob's ladder, Rachel, Jacob at Peniel, Joseph and 
his brethren, Joseph in Egypt. These form a succes- 
sion of narratives of surpassing and dramatic interest 
and laden with truth. This is another reason why 
Genesis is the place to commence Bible study. 



CHAPTER VI 



THE RISE OF ISRAEL 

After Genesis begins the history of Israel as a 
nation. We first take a bird's-eye view of the whole 
history showing that the Old Testament is the history 
of the Rise and Fall of Israel. This is the chosen 
race through whom God plans to regenerate the 
world. Through them we have the Old Testament 
Christ and His apostles and all of Christianity and 
Civilization. Every book in the Old Testament is 
connected with their history and so all must be read 
accordingly with this in mind. 

The following Diagram will show the connection 
of the whole. Every book of the Old Testament may 
be arranged on this line showing the Rise and Fall 
of Israel. 




Israel's history may be roughly outlined as a period 
of two thousand years from Abraham to Christ. This 
period may be divided into four parts of about equal 
length. We may describe these four parts of Israel's 

27 



28 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

history alliteratively by four words, the Camp, Com- 
monwealth, Crown and Captivity, using the latter 
word for the entire period of the subjection. 

I Camp .Cohhowwealth . Cwowh | CAPTivtrv ^ 
"Die P£NTAT£ucn itlDSHm Jvo^s I Ul 3An til Kinssi Ezra. Neh, 
I Ruth | UIChRON. | &tH^R } 

The Camp period includes the time of their history 
before they became a settled people in their own land. 
It includes the time of pilgrimage of their great an- 
cestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and the time of 
their stay in Egypt and of the journey to Canaan. 
The next period, the Commonwealth, includes the 
time they were under judges in Canaan. The third, 
the Crown period, the time when they had independ- 
ent kings of their own; and the last period, the 
Captivity, when they were under foreign powers, but 
not always as captives. 



CHAPTER VII 
THE FORIVIATION OF THE NATION 

The four books, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and 
Deuteronomy, tell of the Formation of the Nation 
and should be taken together. There are two great 
strata in each; the Narrative and the Legislation. 
The Narrative should be taken first, then the Legisla- 
tion should be made a study. 

The Narrative and the place each of these four books 
has will be seen by the accompanying map. 

Genesis takes the Chosen Nation down into Egypt; 
Exodus, as its name implies, takes them out and to 
Mt. Sinai; Leviticus was all given at Mt. Sinai. 
Numbers and Deuteronomy take them to the entrance 
of the Promised Land. The Journey should be taken 
in stages as follows: 

1. Egypt and the Exodus. Exodus 1-12. 

2. Journey to Sinai. Exodus 13-18. 

3. At Mt. Sinai. Exodus 19-40 and Leviticus. 

4. Journey to Canaan. Numbers and Deuter- 
onomy. 

I. Egypt and the Exodus. They were sent to 
Egypt to multiply in that land of plenty and wisdom. 
They came and prospered under the friendly Shep- 
herd Kings until their expulsion and the restoration 

29 



30 



A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 




THE FORMATION OF THE NATION 31 

of the native dynasty, the ^'King that knew not 
Joseph." The oppression was sent to make them 
disgusted with Egypt and its idolatry and willing to 
leave it. The Plagues were each a blow at an Egyp- 
tian deity and showed them their Jehovah superior to 
all. The Passover is a type of Christ imputed in the 
sprinkled blood, and Christ imparted in the eaten 
lamb. In this strength they march out to liberty. 
The Journey to Sinai, A mingled story of bless- 
ings and trials with much unbelief. The journey 
narrative tells of the bitter waters at Marah, the palm 
trees of Elim, murmuring and manna sent, murmur- 
ing again and water given, a victory over Amelek and 
the visit and aid of Jethro. All typify the course of 
the young convert's experiences, 

3. At Mt. Sinai, Here they were given the Law 
and consecrated with a covenant of blood. Here too 
was the dreadful apostacy and worship of the Golden 
Calf, but here also was given and erected the Taber- 
nacle. 

Leviticus was all given from the Tabernacle, show- 
ing the Offerings, the Laws of Holiness, and the 
Feasts, all in the Gospel order of Sacrifice, Sanctifica- 
tion and Satisfaction. 

4. The Journey to Canaan, Numbers gives this. 
It is so called because of the two numberings at the 
beginning and the close of the book and the journey. 
It also gives the arrangement of the Camp and March. 
The period was a sad one. They failed to enter at 



32 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

Kadesh and were turned back into the wilderness 
where they wandered in all forty years. This repre 
sents the state of a believer who refuses to enter the 
consecrated life of faith. All but two fell in the wilder- 
ness. Psalm 90 tells the sad story. There were 
many sins and rebellions. 

Deuteronomy. This gives Moses' farewell discourses 
at the Jordan just before entering Canaan. He 
reviews their blessings and gives some new laws and 
is very tender and anxious for them. It ends with 
the account of his death, Christ loved to quote 
from this book. 

Lessons from the Exodus and Journeys 

1. Egypt, Mt. Sinai and Canaan represent three 
spiritual states: Egypt is the soul under sin, Mt. 
Sinai the soul under Law, Canaan the soul *' in 
Christ." 

2. The Exodus represents the phases of Christ's 
work, Redemption by Power as seen in the Judg- 
ments on Egypt, Redemption by Blood as seen in 
the Passover. In Christ's victory over Satan he 
redeems us by Power, in his death he redeems us by 
his blood. The Passover is first life imputed in the 
sprinkled blood, and life imparted in the eaten lamb. 
John 6: 51-53. 

3. Sinai represents the law and conviction. It was 
given to a redeemed people. We need the Law work 
to show us our state and need of Christ. 



THE FORMATION OF THE NATION 33 



4. Kadesh, where they refused to enter Canaan, is 
the refusal to enter a consecrated life in Christ; result, 
a wilderness life of wandering, unrest and chastise- 
ments. Hebrews 4. 

5. Our murmurings at God's dealings with us; 
His constant presence and final salvation. 

6. The whole is the Pilgrim's Progress from Sin to 
Christ. 



I 



CHAPTER VIII 
THE LAW 

The most sacred thing in the nation was two tables 
of stone on which were written the Ten Command- 
ments. They were kept in the Ark, a small cedar 
chest covered with gold. The cover was called The 
Mercy Seat because on it was sprinkled the blood 
on the Day of Atonement by the High Priest who 
entered the Most Holy Place where it was, once a 
year. Over the Ark there were two golden angelic 
figures bending in reverence and over all was the 
Pillar of Cloud that covered the camp. The Ten 
Commandments represented the will of God, the 
highest motive of any being, which Christ himself 
conformed to, John 4:34, and which is the only 
rule of holiness and happiness. 

The Ten Commandments are accompanied by 
over six hundred other laws that emanate from them. 
These are the application to special conditions and 
acts. The whole may be formed into a digest under 
four codes as follows: 

1. Moral Laws. Matters of right and wrong. 

2. Civil Laws. Such as apply to matters of govern- 
ment, the camp and march. 

3. Ceremonial Laws. Matters of worship, as the 
Tabernacle and Offerings. 

34 



THE LAW 35 

4. Spiritual Laws. Matters of spiritual life as 
Love to God and man. 

The Moral Laws 
These apply to matters of right and wrong in con- 
duct. They sometimes seem to us far below the 
standard of our day, but we must distinguish between 
the essential principles of right in the Commandments 
and their application to special matters. The latter 
had to be adapted to the age and state of the people. 
So that some things were permitted that Christ 
amended when he came, as retaliation and divorce. 
Matt. 5: 21, 27, 33. We must not judge the ethics of 
that day by our full gospel light and standards. 

Civil Laws 
These described not only the temporary camp life 
but the after life and government in Canaan. It was 
a carefully regulated system of government. It is 
the model of all modern governments to-day. There 
were rulers elected by the people; the franchise was 
for all Israelites. This law was a written constitution. 
They had two houses of legislation, a popular and a 
limited body corresponding to our House of Repre- 
sentatives and to our Senate They had homestead 
laws and sanitary laws. They had three great annual 
festivals besides the weekly sabbath. They had 
merciful laws for the poor and stranger. All this 
pro\'ided a condition the most favorable for human 
life and welfare. 



I 



36 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

Ceremonial Laws 

The Ceremonial Code included the laws of the 
Tabernacle, the priesthood, the offerings, ceremonies 
and worship, and laws of personal cleansing and 
habits. 

The Tabernacle was a small structure of boards 
and cloth and skins, tent shaped and surrounded by 
a fence of cloth and entered only by the priests. It 
was God's House where He was represented as dwell- 
ing among them and at whose door He met the people. 
It had in its outer court a Laver for cleansing the 
priests, an Altar, God's table, at which sacrifices were 
offered to Him. In the Tabernacle itself was a 
seven-branched candlestick or lamp stand, an altar 
for incense and a table for *'the shew bread," placed 
weekly there. Within a curtain was the Most Holy 
Place, the Holy of Holies, where was the Ark and 
Cherubim and into which no one entered save the 
High Priest, and he only once a year with the atoning 
blood to be sprinkled on the Mercy Seat, the cover of 
the Ark containing the Law; thus representing Law 
satisfied by the death of the sacrifice, forshadowing 
Christ's death on the cross. Heb. 9: 11-15. 

The Priesthood was from the one tribe of Levi set 
apart to religious service and from one family, that 
of Aaron. 

The Sacrifices or Offerings were from clean animals 
and birds, also other things. There were five principal 
elementary offerings which singly or in combination 



THE LAW 



37 



lormed the greater part of the ritual of the Tabernacle. 
They are found in Leviticus in order (Chs. 1-7). 
The burnt-offering, the meal-offering, the peace-offer- 
ig, the sin-ojffering, the trespass-offering. With these 
3d represented Himself as surrounded. The dia- 
ram represents them thus arranged : 




The diagram is to be read first as given in the order 
in Leviticus, from the center outward, and afterwards 
from the outside inward. We are to see Christ in the 
offerings and the way of salvation. Read from the 
center outward, w^e see Christ in the offerings, as 
coming down from God for man's salvation. Read 
from the outside inw^ard, we see man approaching 
God in the way made by Christ in His death as 
typified in the offerings. 

There were many laws for personal conduct regu- 
lating food, cleanliness, etc. The reason w^as not only 
hygienic but to teach each one that an Israelite was 
a consecrated person and so must lead a careful and 



38 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

separated life. All these pointed to the Christian life. 
I Pet. 2 : 5. 

Spiritual Laws 

The whole Law is deeply spiritual. It is based, as 
Christ taught, on love to God and man. Love to 
God inspires the first three commandments and love 
to man the last seven. This is the right division of 
the Commandments, the Fourth Commandment be- 
longing, as Christ tells us, to the human side of the 
Law. Mark 2: 27. 

The Sermon on the Mount shows the spiritual 
application of the Law. Christ and his Apostles based 
the gospel on the Law. Rom. 7: 14. Luke 24: 27. 

Lessons from the Law 

1. The Law gave a standard of Holiness which the 
world had not nor has yet anywhere without it. 

2. It restrained sin and transgression. The world 
without it is in corruption and would be in total 
corruption without it. 

3. It held the nation together and in righteousness 
until Christ came. Without it they too would have 
lapsed into vice and utter corruption. 

4. It is still the basis of civilization. There is no 
civilization possible without the Ten Commandments. 
Our morality is Bible morality. 

5. It has given the world the basis of all govern- 
ment. Our modern governments are all copies of the 
Mosaic System. 



THE LAW 39 

6. Our home life is that of the Bible. 

7. The Tabernacle and sacrifices and ceremonies 
are all types of Christ and his work. He ^^taber- 
nacled" in the flesh, He is our Passover and Mercy 
Seat and High Priest and Sacrifice. 

8. Moses should be carefully studied frequently and 
typically. Personally he is the great head of the Old 
Testament dispensation. Typically he stands for 
the Law and as a type of Christ as the Prophet. As 
the Law he failed to bring rest. Rom. 8:3; 10: 4. 



CHAPTER IX 
JOSHUA AND THE CONQUEST 

Joshua takes the nation at the Jordan, across which 
was the Promised Land, forty years after leaving 
Egypt. They might have entered in a year at Kadesh 
and by an easier way than crossing Jordan which now 
was at high fiood. Such was the penalty of want of 
faith and consecration. However, God is good even 
to the rebellious and they are now in sight of Canaan 
again. They have given them a new leader. Moses 
was dead and Joshua appointed captain of the hosts 
They were also a young and vigorous people. All over 
twenty when leaving Egypt were dead and the new 
generation was raised in the pure air and life of the 
camp and wilderness. 

The narrative of the book of Joshua tells of the 
crossing the Jordan and the conquest and division of 
the land. In six years and in two great battles and 
many minor engagements they conquered thirty-one 
kings and took their territory. These nations were 
vile beyond description. Sodom was a specimen of 
the whole land so God doomed them to destruction as 
by natural laws he still dooms the unchaste. The 
welfare, not only of the chosen and evangelizing nation 
but of the world depended on the cleansing of the land. 

Yet mercy is seen in the many delays of penalty. 
40 



JOSHUA AND THE CONQUEST 41 

After Abraham's day they were given four hundred 
years to repent. Gen. 15:16. The wonders in 
Egypt were designed to alarm and warn them. Ex. 
9: 16. The forty years were further delay, and again 
the three days at Jordan, and those who repented, as 
Rahab and the Gibeonites, were spared, and so would 
all if they had also repented, but no others did. 

The principal narratives for study are Rahab and 
the Spies, Crossing the Jordan, Capture of Jericho, 
Defeat at xAi and Sin of Achan, the Gibeonites, the 
first great battle at Gibeon, the second at Merom, 
Division of the land, Joshua's farewell and death. 
Lessons of the Conquest 

1. Canaan is the Land of Rest. It is not a type 
of Heaven but the ideal Christian life *'In Christ.'' 
Heb. 4. 

2. Joshua is in Hebrew the same name as Jesus in 
Greek. He is a type of Christ in bringing his people 
into rest. What the Law (Moses) cannot do Jesus 
does. Rom. 3: 10; Gal. 2: 26; Rom. 8:3; Heb. ch. 
3 and 4. 

3. Our privileges in Christ are according to our 
faith. Every place our faith plants its feet upon is 
ours. Josh. 1:3. But the maintenance and exten- 
sion of our privileges requires a constant conflict with 
the world, the flesh and the de\dl. Not all Christians 
are alike in either gifts or graces. We must make 
allowances for others and not expect all to have the 
same experiences. 



CHAPTER X 
JUDGES AND RUTH 

These books give the history of Israel while under 
the rule of Judges. The state is described in a verse 
that occurs four times, ^Tn those days there was no 
king in Israel; every man did that which was right 
in his own eyes." 17: 6, etc. The judges were not 
continuous. They were raised up as needed and 
some were followed by successors but not all. The 
occasion of their coming was the need of deliverance 
from foreign invaders sent upon them as a chastise- 
ment for apostacy. After the deliverance there were 
periods of ^^rest" in which they prospered but without 
any central government. They maintained some 
tribal order and authority and each community had 
its elders. The last five chapters tell of the disorgan- 
ized state during this time, and the book of Ruth the 
social conditions that prevailed. 

The following Chart will tell the six oppressions 
that occurred and the six great judges raised up with 
their successors, and the periods of rest that ioU 
lowed: 



42 



JUDGES AND RUTH 



43 





Chart of the Judges 




Chap. 


Judge 


Oppressor 


Period 
of 

"Rest" 


Succeeding 
Judges 


3 

3 

4-5 

6-8 

10-12 

13-16 


Othniel 

Ehud 

Deborah 

Gideon 40 yrs. 

Jephthah 
6 yrs. 

Samson 

20 yrs. 


Mesopotamia 8 yrs. 
Moab 18 yrs. 
Canaanites 20 yrs. 

Midianites 7 yrs. 

Philistines- Ammon- 
ites 28 yrs. 

Philistines 
40 yrs. 


40 yrs. 
80 yrs. 
40 yrs. 
[Ruth] 
40 yrs. 


Sham gar 

Abimelech 3, 
Tola23, Jair22, 
Ibzany.ElonlO. 
Abden 8, Eli 40 

yrs. 



Lessons from Judges 

1. Israel in Canaan is the believer ^^In Christ." 
Heb. 4. He still has dangers and vicissitudes, how- 
ever. He has the flesh, is in the world and exposed 
to Satan's attacks. Canaan is not Heaven. 

2. We see also a new born soul abusing its liberty 
^'In Christ." Rom. 8. 

3. We also see apostacy following revivals. Such 
have marked the course of the church. Also how 
declension comes from mingling with the world, inter- 
marrying, etc. 

4. We are also taught that God follows backsliding 
with chastisement both in the church and individuals. 

5. Another lesson is God's way of blessing and 
recovering his church by raising up great leaders 
who call the church back to faith and piety. 

6. The whole period shows the need of a King. 
It was a preparation for the Kingdom. We need to 
be not only ^Tn Christ" but to have *^Christ in us." 



44 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

7. Some minor lessons are apparent, as the use God 
makes of weak instruments, as Gideon's lamps and 
pitchers; the failure of great powers and opportunities, 
as in Samson; woman's great service to the church, 
as in Deborah. 

Ruth 

This book gives a picture of a time of rest in the 
period of the Judges. The events occurred after the 
time of Deborah's victory. Its own special lessons 
are the faith of Ruth and especially the influence of 
Naomi to draw such an one to Israel's God. Naomi's 
influence consisted of character, piety and sympathy. 
Another great purpose of the book is seen in its last 
word, David. It gives a connecting link in his gene- 
alogy. It has also a typical purpose in showing the 
Gentiles coming to Christ. There have been all along 
in the Old Testament these forshadowings of the in- 
gathering of the Gentiles. 



CHAPTER XI 
THE KINGDOM 

Samuel. Kings. Chronicles 
With the close of the Judges came the rise of the 
Kingdom. Samuel the last of the judges was the 
founder of the kingdom. He anointed its two first 
kings, wrote its constitution and was prophet and 
adviser until his death. He was a splendid character 
given in answer to prayer to a consecrated mother, 
dedicated by her to God's service, raised in God's 
service, called in youth to know God, lived in com- 
munion with God and for his country. Without mili- 
tary training he conquered the country's enemies, 
without a crown he ruled a nation, without royalty 
all yielded to his word. He died with unchallenged 
purity and without a stain. 

The books that tell of the Kingdom are the six 
double books, Samuel, Kings and Chronicles. They 
present a double narrative as follows: 

I Samuel ^ ^ Samuel, i Kings, 2 Kings. 

( I Chronicles, 2 Chronicles. 

I Samuel is the introduction to the whole narrative, 

then follows two narratives running parallel. The 

books of Samuel and Kings were once one volume and 

give one history. Chronicles has another history of 

45 



46 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

the same time as the last three. The whole history 
must be taken in four parts: 

1. The Kingdom to the division between Israel and 
Judah. 

2. The Division of the Kingdom. 

3. The History of Israel. 

4. The History of Judah. 

THE KINGDOM TO THE DIVISION 

This takes up the history of Saul, David and Solo- 
mon, about 200 years, from the birth of Samuel, whose 
history is interwoven with the beginning of .the 
kingdom. 

SAUL 

This king was given in response to the demand of 
the people and contrary to God's plan and time and 
was a failure and is to be studied as such. With great 
natural gifts of physical frame, courage and general- 
ship he lost the spirit by disobedience and went down 
in disgrace. His history is a warning to us to wait 
God's time and plan, to follow His will implicitly and 
to obey carefully. The nation in asking him was led 
by pride and love of ostentation. Many Christians 
are overcome still by the world and go down to sad 
and ruinous ends. 

DAVID 

This was the divine choice. He was the head of 
a line of mighty kings. He conquered the enemies, 
organized the government and the public worship, 



THE KINGDOM 4tl 

extended his territories to the Euphrates on the east 
and nearly to the Nile on the west. He gathered the 
treasures for building the Temple and left its plan. 
He wrote half the book of Psalms. He is the type of 
Christ militant. Christ is David's Son, coming from 
his descent, and is to sit on David's throne. As Moses 
is the type of Christ as the Prophet and Melchisedec 
as Priest, so David is type of Christ as King. 

SOLOMON 

Solomon was the divinely appointed son of David 
to succeed him. He was given, in answer to his 
prayer, such wisdom as none have had before or since. 
He ruled with undisputed sway David's mighty empire. 
It was ruled by moral power rather than military 
strength although he had an army and built fortresses 
along his borders. His greatest act was the building 
of the Temple and ordering its services. He is credited 
with the three books of Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon 
and Proverbs. But he wrote much more. His 
wisdom is political, moral and economic. Typically 
he stands for Christ triumphant, especially in his 
millennial reign. The Seventy-Second Psalm applies 
both to Solomon and Christ. 



CHAPTER XII 
THE DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM 

The Kingdom divided under Solomon's son Re- 
hoboam. His arbitrary decision and bad advisers 
lost him ten of the twelve tribes of his father's kingdom . 
These from that time on were independent. The split 
however runs back to David's time when Judah 
received him first and Israel seven years after. Indeed 
a rift follows from the very first. We can trace it to 
Jacob's two wives and their jealousy. Judah w^as 
the son of the one and Ephraim, the ruling tribe, the 
grandson of the other. 

The Chart wdll show the list of the Kings of each, 
the passages that tell of each and the general course of 
each kingdom. The first verse only is given. 

Each had the same number of kings, but Israel 
lasted two hundred and fifty years while Judah's 
kingdom lasted four hundred years. Israel was 
deported at the end and has been exiled ever since; 
Judah remained about seven hundred years longer. 

Another fact is that Israel's kings ended nearly 
always in slaughter and there were nine different 
dynasties, while Judah's were all of David's family 
in regular descent. Again Israel first introduced 
idolatry, while Judah having the Temple preserved 

48 



THE DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM 49 

the true religion longer. Judah's history also contin- 
ued until after Christ; and we have the Jews with us 
to-day the descendants of Judah, while the ten Tribes 
are lost so far as identification is concerned. 

Another fact was that in Israel's kings not one was 
called good while in Judah's there were eight so called. 

The whole history of each must be regarded from 
the religous point of view. While they were obedient 
to God's commands they were prospered and when 
they disobeyed they were chastised by famines, 
pestilence and invasions of enemies. 

The two kingdoms began in discord but came to be 
friendly, but again broke out in enmity inviting foreign 
enemies against each other which was the ruin of each. 

But the great fact that accounts for the preservation 
of Judah is that it was to be from that tribe and from 
the kingly line of David, Christ was to come and so he 
did. His genealogy is that of the Davidic kings. He 
is the lineal descendant of David his heir and so 
literally the Son of David and his throne is that of 
Da\H[d. 



I 



50 



A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 



Chart of the Kings of Israel and Judah 



Israel 



Jeroboam. 22 yrs 

Nadab 

Baasha. 24 

Elah. 2 

Zimri. 7 days 

Omri. 12 

Ahab. 32 

Ahaziah. 2 

Jehoram. 12 

Jehu. 28 

Jehoahaz. 17 

Jehoash(Joash). 16. 

Jeroboam II. 41 

Zachariah. 3 mo 

Shallum. l mo 

Menaham. 19 yrs 

Pekahlah. 2 

Pekah. 29 

Hoshea. 9 

Conquest and Disper- 
sion 



§D 


^ 






W 


8 


^ 


<N 


12:19 


10:2 


15:25 




15:37 




16:8 




16:9 




16:17 




16:29 


18:1 


22:40 




2Kin. 




3:1 


22:7 


9:1 


22:7 


13:1 




13:10 


25:17 


14:16 




14:29 




15:10 




15:14 




15:22 




15:25 




15:30 




17:1 





Judah 



Rehoboam. 17 yrs. Bad 

Abijah. 3 Bad 

Asa. 41 Good 



JehoBhaphat. 25Qood 



Jehoram. 8 Bad. . < 

Ahaziah. 13 Bad.. 

(Athaliah) 

Jehoash (Joash). 40 

Good 

Amaziah. 29 Good.. 
Uzziah (Azariah). 52 

Good 



Jotham. 16 Good ... 15 

Ahaz. 16 Bad 15 

Hezekiah. 29 Good... 18 
Manasseh. 55 Bad. . . 21 

Amon. 2 Bad 21 

Josiah. 31 Good 22 

Jehoahaz. 3 mo. Bad 23 
Jehoiakim. 11 yrs. Bad 23 
Jeholachin. 3mo.Bad 24 
Zedekiah. 11 yrs. Bad 24 
Destruction of Jerusa- 
lem and Exile '25:1 



12:1 
15:1 
15:9 



22:41 



22:50 
2Kin. 
8:24 
11:1 

11:4 
14:1 

15:1 



10:1 
13:1 
14:1 



17:1 



21:1 



22:1 
22:10 



23:1 
25:1 



26:1 



27:1 

28:1 

29:1 

33:1 

33:21 

34:1 

36:1 

36:4 

36:9 

36:11 

36:14 



CHAPTER XIII 
ISRAEL AND HER KINGS 

The best method of studying the two kingdoms is 
to take one at a time and read its history through, 
marking the places that refer to it and reading these 
through consecutively.* 

The Chart will aid in following each narrative. 

Taking Israel's kingdom and examining it we find 
a few prominent kings and periods for study. 

Jeroboam, its founder. He was divinely anointed 
and had every opportunity to do right and be success- 
ful. He had great ability, so that he attracted first 
the admiration and then the jealousy of the great 
Solomon. His great sin was the introduction of the 
Worship of the Golden Calf he had found in Egypt in 
his exile. He is ever after stigmatized as ^^ Jeroboam 
the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin.'^ He is the 
Judas Iscariot of the Old Testament. 

Ahab is the most prominent king and occupies more 
space than any other. It was in his reign the great 
prophet Elijah lived and was succeeded by Elisha. 
Ahab's father built Samaria and his name is on the 
Assyrian monuments. 

* "A Harmony of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles," showing the 
narratives separated, will be sent for $1.65, postage paid. 

51 



52 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

Jehu was another divinely appointed king. His 
mission was to chastise the sons of Ahab which he did 
but in a spirit that brought judgment on himself. 

Jeroboam II restored some of the prosperity of the 
kingdom and reigned long. 

After this came in the affiliation with Syria and in- 
vasions of Assyria who finally carry the people away 
captive to the cities of the Medes whence they drifted 
west and are probably amalgamated with the nations 
of Europe. The foreign people brought in adopted 
some of Israel's religion with their heathen customs 
and formed the Samaritans of Christ's time detested 
by the Jews and returning this feeling with equal 
hatred. 



CHAPTER XIV 
JUDAH'S HISTORY 

I-II Chronicles. Ezra. Nehemiah 

This was composed of the tribe of Judah with Ben- 
jamin and many from other tribes that resented the 
apostacy of Israel and were drawn by the Temple and 
its worship. Judah preserved the true religion longer, 
in fact never lost it entirely, although much idolatry 
was introduced and there were many bad kings. Yet 
there w^ere eight that are called good. The bad kings 
brought in idolatry and affiliation with heathen 
nations and were chastised by famines and wars and 
defeats and invasions and finally captivity. When 
they had a good king they w^ere prospered and v/hen 
a bad kind came they were chastised. Some of the 
bad kings might be studied, as Ahaz and Manasseh, 
but the most prominent are the eight good kings as 
follows : 

Asa. He removed the heathen altars Rehoboam 
built and reigned forty-one years. 

Jehosaphat, He was prospered but made alliance 
with Ahab and suffered therefore. 

Joash, the boy king, wrought great reforms under 
the good priest Jehoiada, but relapsed at his death. 

53 



54 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

Uzziah reigned longer than any king and was 
greatly prospered. 

Hezekiah, the good son of a bad father and the 
good father of a bad son. Isaiah was his adviser. 

Josiahj the last of the good kings but came too late 
to save the nation although he wrought great reforms. 
He fell at Megiddo, the name in the Apocalypse of 
the scene of the last conflict. 

Jerusalem was captured and it and the temple 
destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, the people taken to 
Babylon. 

THE RESTORATION 

The exile is a historic period in the history of Judah 
from which they and we date. The state of the Jews 
in captivity was not slavery but that of captive colo- 
nists. Many of them rose to wealth and power. They 
had their prophets with them and maintained their 
religion. Some of the psalms were written then. 

The restoration came after seventy years as pre- 
dicted by Jeremiah. The books of Ezra and Nehe- 
miah give the history of this time, Ezra led in the 
spiritual restoration and Nehemiah in the material 
restoration. 

EZRA 

Ezra was a priest and the recorder of the entire 
period, and probably the compiler of the books of 
scripture written up to his time. He gives the history 
of the first return under Zerubbabel and the rebuilding 



JUDAH'S HISTORY 55 

of the Temple, i-6, and then the institution of the 
religious services by himself, 7-10. 

NEHEMIAH 

Nehemiah was an of&cer under Artaxeres and was 
permitted to visit Jerusalem. He rebuilt the walls, 
1-6, and describes their dedication and a revival 
under Ezra, 7-12, and a second visit he made after- 
wards, 13. 

ESTHER 

Between the return under Zerubbabel and Ezra 
was a gap of 57 years. In this time Esther lived in 
Persia and the events in that book there occurred, 
so that it is well to take it here. It tells of a great 
danger of the captives and their preservation which 
they celebrate to this day. 

CHART OF THE RESTORATION 

Return of 50,000 exiles under Zerubbabel. Ezra 

1-6. 538-515- 
Esther's times. 515-458. 

Ezra and Nehemiah's times and labors. 458-432. 
Malachi. About 420. 



CHAPTER XV 
THE POETICAL BOOKS 

Job. Psalms. Proverbs. Ecclesiastes. Song of 
Solomon 
These are called poetical because of their form and 
not because of their matter. Hebrew poetry consists 
of parallel sentences, the succeeding sentences repeat- 
ing with some variation the former statement and 
sometimes giving the converse. This forms an 
agreeable style of writing and reading and bears 
translation into any language and by repetition im- 
presses the subject upon the mind. It is literally line 
upon line and precept upon precept. We take the 
books in the order in which they are although some 
were much earlier and some later. 

JOB 

This claims to be historical giving names and events 
and data. Nor is there any good reason for consider- 
ing it fictitious. It treats of patriarchal times before 
the law. After a brief account of Job's happy state 
and his fall into poverty and sickness there follows a 
debate in three rounds between Job and his three 
friends as to the cause of his affliction. They charging 
it on his sins and he resenting this charge. Elihu 
follows with an address rebuking both Job and his 

56 



THE POETICAL BOOKS 57 

Friends and Jehovah follows with an address to Job, 
reproving him for his petulance. The whole closes 
with the account of Job's restoration to a happy and 
prolonged life. The lessons are: 

1. The reality of the unseen world and its interest 
in this world and in us. 

2. The source of evil, all indirectly and some directly 
from Satan. 

3. The failure of human philosophy to account for 
evil. The need of a revelation. 

4. Why the good suffer: to try faith; to show forth 
God's grace in them; to perfect character; to estab- 
lish God's fidelity to his people. 

THE PSALMS 

This was the Old Testament Hymn and Prayer 
Book. It comes to us in five books ending each with 
a doxology in Psalms 41, 72, 89, 106, 150. These were 
doubtless compiled as the psalms were written or 
collected. The psalms were used in both private and 
public worship. In the latter they were accompanied 
with instruments of music and simg to certain tunes 
whose names are attached. David is credited with 
half of them, mostly in the early books. The chief 
lessons are as follows : 

1. The presence and resistence of the enemy and 
prayer for deliverance. Such are mentioned in nearly 
every psalm. This represents the believer's conflicts. 

2. The recital of God's dealings with the nation 
His grace and goodness. 



68 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

3. Appeals to the world to praise God and many 
songs of praise. 

4. Nature and God's power in it, is a frequent 
theme. 

5. The world and man and God's rule over all. 

6. The coming of Christ both in suffering and in 
glory. 

Many are acrostics and evidently so arranged to as- 
sist the memory. Evidences of a morning and even- 
ing arrangement and use are seen especially in the 
first part. The longest is the 119th; the shortest the 
117th; the greatest favorite the 23rd; the most mes- 
sianic the 22nd; the most encouraging the 34th and 
37th; the most penitential the 51st; the millennial 
psalm the 72nd; the whole ends in a doxology of five 
praise psalms. The Songs of Degrees or Ascents for 
the returning pilgrims. Ps. 120--134. The Peniten- 
tial Psalms are 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143. Ps. 148 
is Nature's Hallelujah. Ps. 104 recites Creation as 
in Gen. i. The Traveller's Psalm is 121. 

PROVERBS 

This is a book of proverbs. A proverb has been 
described as the ^* wisdom of many in the wit of one." 
When books were scarce they conveyed wisdom to 
the multitude. They deal with the virtues and vices 
and the various relations of life. The contents of the 
book are as follows: 

Ch. 1-8. An address on Wisdom; meaning true 
religion or piety. 



THE POETICAL BOOKS 59 

Ch. 9-24. Proverbs of Solomon. Miscellaneous 
proverbs and subjects. 

Ch. 25-29. Proverbs collected by the men of 
Hezekiah; miscellaneous subjects. 

Ch. 39. The words of Agur. 

Ch. 31. Words of Lemuel's Mother, The Model 
Wife. 

ECCLESIASTES 

This book is attributed to Solomon. It describes 
such an one as he who has had everything life can 
give and his disappointment with it all. The stand- 
point is seen in the recurring phrase ^^under the sun." 
It looks no higher than this world and life. His 
verdict is ** Vanity of vanities, all is vanity," or striving 
after or clutching the wind. The conclusion he comes 
to that it is best to enjoy the good things of life as God 
gives them and be content. But he takes a pessimistic 
view of all life, not only the very successful but of the 
ordinary life and its doings. The routine of life and 
the sameness of it for all conditions and times of 
human life impresses him sadly. 

He takes into account the leaving of life and de- 
scribes old age and ends with the final advice as best 
of all, 'Tear God and keep his commandments for 
this is the whole duty of man." 

SONG OF SOLOMON 

This is a drama or allegory in which a bridegroom 
as a prince in disguise seeks a rural bride and after 
winning her, reveals his state and glory. It represents 



60 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

first a picture of pure conjugal love. The descrip- 
tions of the beauty of the bride teach that such at- 
tractions are for one eye only, the husband's. The 
spiritual meaning is Christ seeking his Bride the 
Church and then revealing his glory to her The 
theme being purity and strength of love. 



CHAPTER XVI 
ISRAEL'S PROPHETS 

HosEA. Amos 
All along these nations history were given divinely 
sent prophets to bring messages from God. They 
were generally more numerous and prominent in times 
of decline and apostacy. So that the seventeen we 
have of prophetic writings were sent in the decline 
of the two kingdoms and are filled with denunciations, 
warnings and pleadings. They are therefore severe 
and somber. But all contain, and generally end with, 
denunciations of the enemy and predictions of the 
coming Messiah and his kingdom, and Israel's restora- 
tion. Israel had two prophets sent specially to her, 
Hosea and Amos. They were very different in origin, 
message, and time of service. They both came in 
Israel's later history, probably in the reign of Jero- 
boam II, and before the Assyrian invasion. They 
warned of the coming doom but in vain. We will 
consider each separately. 

HOSEA 

Hosea was a gracious, gentle preacher. He is the 
most so of all the prophets. He was given the experi- 
ence of a bad wife who was unfaithful to him and taken 

61 



62 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

back that he might know how Jehovah felt about his 
apostate wife as Israel was called. Hosea was also 
made to give his children strange names to warn 
people of the coming fate. One was called *'Not 
Mine," another ^^No Mercy/' and another ^^ Jezreel," 
as though a Frenchman called his child Waterloo. 
Hosea preached to them about seventy years. 

AMOS 

Amos was a contrast to Hosea. He was an uncouth 
herdsman or rustic, but of natural genius, endowed with 
the Spirit and a wonderful preacher. His messages 
are full of natural illustrations. He compares their 
sins to a cart pressed full of sheaves, their rescue to a 
brand plucked from the burning, the remnant left 
like a piece of an ear or leg the lion leaves, the hope 
they shall escape as running from a lion and meeting 
a bear. He compares their transient goodness to a 
basket of summer fruit. He finds them in great lux- 
ury with summer and winter houses, couches of ivory, 
engaged in drunken revels, extorting from the poor. 
He encircles them with a series of fiery denuncia- 
tions and all along calls to repentance. All was in 
vain. 

Neither Hosea's tender pleadings nor Amos' fiery 
philippics were of avail to save the doomed nation. 
One awful invasion after another fell upon the land 
and at last they were deported to distant Media and 
strangers given their lands and houses. 

The Lessons are evident. If God so chastised his 



ISRAEL'S PROPHETS 63 

own chosen nation how will he deal wath us in modern 
times? This whole history is an awful warning to the 
church and the Christian nations of the world. Our 
greater light will bring the greater judgment. The 
personal lesson is the same, ^Whom the Lord loveth 
he chasteneth." 



CHAPTER XVII 

NINEVEH AND HER PROPHETS 

Jonah. Nahum 

The great power that destroyed Israel was Assyria 
and to her are given two prophets and these should be 
studied after Israel's history. They are Jonah and 
Nahum. The first was sent to prepare Nineveh for 
her mission and the last to chastise her for her abuses 
of her power. 

Assyria was the great power on the banks of the 
upper Tigris and the Euphrates to the northeast 
of Israel. She rose into power about the time of 
Israel's decline, although this ancient Empire is 
traced back into the times of man's earliest history. 
In order to connect Bible times with secular history 
we divide the story of the chosen people into Assyrian, 
Babylonian and Persian times, which came in this 
order beginning with the period we now consider. 
The sacred nation now passes under the shadow of 
the great world powers that from this onward have 
had control over her in rapidly increasing power. 

Assyria is called in the prophecies by God ^^The 
rod of mine anger." He says *T will send him against 
a hypocritical nation." Is. lo: 5-6. Its capital city 
was Nineveh and therefore to that city the prophet 

64 



NINEVEH AND HER PROPHETS 65 

was directed. It was sixty miles in circumference 
wdth walls a hundred feet high, fortified with 1,500 
towers two hundred feet high. The city was filled 
with palaces and temples and with exceeding great 
wealth. 

JONAH 

Before using Nineveh as his rod God sent a prophet 
to them to prepare them for their mission. Jonah 
came with a fearful message threatening swift destruc- 
tion. Nineveh's god was the Fish-god and Jonah's 
wonderful experience seemed to them a warrant for 
his message. Universal and genuine repentance, as 
Christ tells us,follow^ed. Matt. 12:41. God's dealings 
with Nineveh are an illustration of his grace even in 
Old Testament times to heathen nations and Jonah's 
mission a specimen of many such missions to the out- 
side world. Nineveh's revival has never been ex- 
ceeded. Christ makes Jonah a type of his own 
resurrection and thus verifies Jonah's history as true. 
Matt. 12:40. 

NAHUM 

Assyria performed her mission but with excessive 
cruelty that called down divine chastisement on her. 
This the prophet Nahum proclaims. He tells they 
shall be destroyed by the Medes, describing their 
colors, scarlet, 2: 3; by the overflow of the river, 1:8; 
the awful street battles, 3: 2-3; and her desolation. 
In other scriptures is described Assyria's restoration 
in the last days. Is. 19:23. 



CHAPTER XVIII 
JUDAH'S PROPHETS 

The Pre-Exilic Prophets 
Most of the written prophets are Judah's, probably, 
because of the Temple, the prophets lived there; 
also because that part lasted longer and was the more 
important as having the Temple and the Davidic line 
of Kings from whom Christ was to come. We can- 
not take them as they come in the Bible but as they 
occur in the history. 

These prophets are divided into three classes by the 
Exile as follows: 

1. Pre-Exilic Prophets: Obadiah, Joel, Micah, 
Isaiah, Zephaniah, Plabakkuk, Jeremiah, Lamenta- 
tions. 

2. Exilic Prophets: Ezekiel, Daniel. 

3. Post-Exilic Prophets: Haggai, Zachariah, Mala- 
chi. 

JOEL 

The date of this prophet is not certain but his pre- 
diction of a locust plague, which was one of the earlier 
forms of chastisement, as well as his place in the 
canon indicates this early date. His prophecy has 
been said to be the model of all other prophetic books. 
Peter quotes from Joel in his Pentecostal sermon that 

66 



JUDAH'S PROPHETS 67 

Joel predicted Pentecost. Acts 2:17. Joel. 2:28. 
In the Revelation is his symbol of the locusts. 
Rev. 9. 

OBADIAH 

Obadiah's date is also uncertain, but as he is 
placed among the first we take him here. His object 
of denunciation is Edom the descendants of Esau, 
Jacob's brother, and so Israel's kindred. They re- 
fused Israel passage through their land when they 
came up out of Egypt and so implanted bitter hatred 
ever after. They sided with Judah's enemies and 
j bought and sold captive Israelites as slaves to the 
Grecians. They were conquered but revolted as 
Jacob had predicted. Gen. 27:40. Obadiah pro- 
claimed their desolation, especially of their capital. 

MICAH 

This is a small book but a great one. The great 
prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah quote from him. He 
foretells the Babylonian captivity. He also proclaims 
Bethlehem the birthplace of Christ. 5:1. Christ also 
quotes from him. Matt, 10: 21-35. He prophesied 
of Samaria and Jerusalem the capitals of the two 
nations. 1-3. Messianic prophecies, 4-6. Mourn- 
ful messages, 6-7. 

ISAIAH 

This is the greatest of the prophets in many respects. 
It is the longest prophecy and the most Messianic. 
It may be called the Old Testament Gospel. He 
lived in the reign of four kings the last being the good 



68 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

king Hezekiah and no doubt contributed to the re- 
forms that king wrought. It is divided into two 
parts, chapters i to 39 and chapters 40 to 66. These 
are quite different. 

The first, ch. 1-39, is from the standpoint of the 
time of Hezekiah and his predecessors and looks for- 
ward to the Assyrian invasion which is described. 

Its analysis is as follows: 

Ch. 1-12. General prophecies in time of Uzziah 
and Ahaz. 

Ch. 13-23. Prophecies against foreign nations. 

Ch. 24-35. General prophecies denouncing evils. 

Ch. 36-39. Historical chapters. Sennacherib's 
invasion and Hezekiah's sickness and restoration and 
mistake in receiving Ambassadors from Babylon. 

The second part, ch. 40-66, looks from the stand- 
point of the Babylonian captivity, denounces Babylon, 
encourages the captives to return and proclaims the 
coming of Christ and his kingdom. The whole of 
this part is the most encouraging. It is one complete 
and harmonious whole divided into three equal parts 
by the recurring phrase, ^^there is no peace saith my 
God to the wicked," which ends chs. 48 and 57. The 
great Messianic chapter 53 is the central chapter of 
the whole. It is the most explicit declaration of the 
sacrificial and mediatorial death of Christ in all 
scripture. 

Isaiah had two sons whose names made symbols of 
his predictions. He lived and prophesied before and 



JUDAH'S PROPHETS 69 

during the good king Hezekiah's reign and was prob- 
ably the means of his good character and reign and 
reformations. It was during his time ^'Sennacherib 
came down like a wolf on the fold." Isaiah's prayers, 
courage and message enabled the king to defy and 
send him to his doom. 

ZEPHANIAH 

He came nearly a century after Isaiah, with no 
prophet between. He prophesied under Josiah the last 
good king of Judah and before the final apostacy. 
He foretells the destruction of Jerusalem. 

HABAKKUK 

Habakkuk foretells the Chaldean conquest and their 
overthrow. 

This prophet came near the end. He is told to 
make his message so clear that he who reads it may 
run for his life, 2:2. It is here we find, ''The just shall 
live by his faith/' 2 : 4, and for the reason stated. His 
closing psalm is the most beautiful utterance of a 
believer in times of distress. 

JEREMIAH 

Jeremiah is called the weeping prophet and a dole- 
ful message is called a Jeremiad. He prophesied the 
Babylonian conquest and captivity of seventy years, 
25:11, and w^as treated most cruelly therefore. He was 
cast into a miry dungeon where he almost perished. 
There is much personal history and his prophecies are 
not chronologically arranged and are hard to arrange. 



70 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

He was taken captive with the city but released and 
stayed with the few left. When they fled to Egypt 
they took him with them. He closes with denuncia- 
tions of the foreign nations. 

It was in his time the nation crossed the fatal line 
of doom called so often *^The fourth year of 
Jehoiachim," when, at the battle of Carchemish, 
Babylon conquered Egypt and so became the world 
power that destroyed Judah. After this he knows 
all is lost and so counsels them. It is divided as 
follows : 

1. Prophecies of a general kind, 1-19. 

2. Prophecies mingled with his own history, 20-45. 

3. Prophecies against foreign nations, 46-51. 

4. Account of the capture of the city, 52. 

LAMENTATIONS 

This was Jeremiah's elegy on the fall of Jerusalem. 
Each chapter is an acrostic of twenty-two parts prob- 
ably written in the leisure of his exile state. The 
opening verse of each chapter forms its text. 



CHAPTER XIX 
THE EXILE AND ITS PROPHETS 

EZEKIEL AND DaNIEL 

The exiles were not generally slaves but colonists, 
and many were in independent callings. Some rose 
to places of honor and wealth and many were willing 
to remain there. Spiritually it was a time of dejection. 
Jerusalem was in ruins and they were treated as a 
conquered race. They kept the anniversaries of the 
overthrow of the city. Some of the psalms described 
their feelings, 137:149. Prophets were raised up 
among them to instruct and comfort them and to keep 
. before them their return. There were two of these 
that we know of, but doubtless in every place there 
were men of God who conducted their sabbath worship 
and instructed their children. Ezekiel w^as among the 
early deportation; Daniel was among the later exiles. 

EZEKIEL 

While Jeremiah was prophesying in Jersusalem 
Ezekiel was among the captives in Babylon prophesy- 
ing about the city's capture. This prophecy opens 
with the most wonderful visions of Deity given in the 
whole Bible. To keep him humble under it all he 
was called "Son of Man." EzekiePs prophecy con- 
sists of three parts: 

71 



72 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

1. A series of visions and prophecies concerning 
the fate of Jerusalem lasting down to its capture when 
they cease. Each is carefully dated. The special 
theme is the departure of the Lord from the doomed 
city. 1-24. He illustrates with many symbolic acts, 
as digging through the wall as a fugitive, etc. 

2. The second part consists of prophecies of foreign 
nations, 25-32, and a grand picture of the restoration 
of the nation, spiritually, 33-39, and materially, 40-48. 
In the latter he describes the restored city and land 
and the Temple services. It is the Messianic King- 
dom with David reigning over it. The whole has 
been described as the Departure and Return of the 
Shekinah. The vision of the Land and City and 
Temple is perhaps the most difficult to interpret in all 
scripture. 

DANIEL 

This consists of his o^vn personal history and his 
companions and also is the most wonderful of the 
predictive prophecies. His prophecies form the back- 
bone of all succeeding prophecies. Christ quotes and 
confirms Daniel. Matt. 24: 15-22. He rose to the 
highest place and lived under the three empires of Bab- 
ylon, Persia and Greece. He gives eight great visions 
that cover all time to the end. These with his per- 
sonal history constitute the book. They are as follows : 

Ch. 2. The Colossus, showing the four great world 
wide empires of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and 
Rome, and the final Kingdom, that of Christ. 



THE EXILE AND ITS PROPHETS 73 

Ch. 4. A Great Tree. Nebuchadnezzar's Fall and 
Restoration. Probably representing also the Gen- 
tile Dispensation. 

Ch. 5. Belshazzar's Vision. The Handwriting on 
the Wall. Doom of Belshazzar and all worldly 
greatness. 

Ch. 7. Four Great Beasts. The Four World 
Empires shown spiritually ending in the Judgment. 

Ch. 8. The Ram and Goat. Vision of Persia and 
Greece. Alexander the Great. 

Ch. 9. The Seventy Weeks. The coming of the 
Messiah. 

Ch. II. The Kings of North and South. Con- 
flicts of Syria and Egypt, Antiochus the Persecutor. 

Ch. 12. Closing Vision of the Periods. The 
Resurrection and Kingdom. 

All other succeeding prophecies may be arranged 
along these of Daniel. The Revelation is a contin- 
uation of it and uses the same symbols. The Fourth 
Empire is the same as John's symbolic Beast, Rev. 
12, which is also extended in his next Sjnnbolic 
Beast, Ch. 13. Both these run to the end of time, 
and the Judgment and Kingdom of Christ. Daniel 
predicts both Christ's first and second coming. 



CHAPTER XX 
PROPHETS OF THE RESTORATION 

Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi and the Interval 
Prophets accompanied the returning exiles and 
encouraged and directed them. The task of rebuild- 
ing was most arduous and depressing. Piles of 
rubbish overgrown with grass and herbage covered 
the city. Its walls were overthrown. All had to be 
rebuilt with the slender resources of the exiles. Sur- 
rounding peoples jealous of their restoration opposed 
them, attacked them, and sent back false reports. 
Two prophets were given them, Haggai and Zechariah. 
haggai 
He deals with immediate conditions, especially the 
giving of tithes for the work. He shows the sin of not 
giving and neglecting God's house. He also gives 
prophecies of the coming of Christ to the Temple, 
2: 7; John 2: 15. 

ZECHARIAH 

This prophet takes a more general view and refers 
to former prophets such as Ezekiel and Jeremiah. 
Besides general prophecies he gives some remarkable 
visions as follows: 

Ch. 2. Young Man and Measuring Line. Restora- 
tion of Jerusalem, 



PROPHETS OF THE RESTORATION 75 

Ch. 3. Joshua the High Priest in Filthy Garments. 
Restoration of the Priesthood. 

Ch. 4. Golden Candlestick and Olive Trees. 
Supply of the Holy Spirit by ministries. 

Ch. 5. Flying Roll. Judgment on Unrighteous- 
ness. Ephah and two Women. Wickedness in 
Babylon. 

Ch. 6. The Four Chariots. Divine Inspection and 
Judgment on Enemies. 

All these are to instruct and comfort God's people. 
He also gives prophecies of Christ coming, as his 
triumphal entry, selling for thirty pieces of silver, 
piercing of his side, destruction of Jerusalem. 

MALACHI 

This was the last of the written prophets. The 
restored exiles had fallen into a state of murmuring. 
The Temple was neglected. He reproves all this. 
He also predicts the coming of Christ and especially 
John the Baptist, 4: 5-6. 

THE INTERVAL 

An interval of four hundred years now ensues. In 
this there was no prophet or inspired history. The 
land was settled and Jerusalem built up. The land 
passed through many and grevious trials as the perse- 
cutions of Antiochus. The Maccabees rose and did 
heroic deeds. Synagogues were instituted. The books 
of scripture were completed, compiled and translated 
into Greek, and just before Christ came Herod rebuilt, 



76 



A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 



at great expense, the Temple. The nation was 
successively under Greece, Syria and finally Rome; 
at times had a semi-independence. Sects of Phari- 
sees, Sadducees and others rose and formality pre- 
vailed with much religious performance and little 
piety. They rejected Christ when he came and the 
gospel afterwards preached to them. About 70 A. d. 
Jerusalem was captured and destroyed by the Romans 
and the people dispersed as we find them to-day. 



CHAPTER XXI 
LESSONS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT 

We can now review the Old Testament and see 
its great outlines of teaching. 

1. It is the history of a chosen people trained and 
placed to benefit the world, in a land at the center of 
the earth as predicted. Deut. 32: 8. It was a great 
social and religious settlement for the world's inspec- 
tion and example. 

2. The Law was the great feature of the Old Testa- 
ment dispensation as the Gospel is of ours. This 
Law was given to Israel but affected the whole earth. 
We read of Moses in all the ancient histories as a 
great lawgiver. The ancient Greeks attributed their 
wisdom to the Hebrews and the Romans were the 
scholars of the Greeks, so all came originally from 
Moses and his Laws. All the great empires and 
religions rose as Israel fell and by the dispersion of 
the nation their law was taken everywhere. 

3. The failure of the Chosen People in their place 
and mission shows the failure of human nature under 
the best of conditions. Also the failure of the Law 
alone to make perfect. 

4. The coming of Christ is the objective point of 
the whole. Every ceremony is typical of Christ and 

77 



78 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

his work. Many persons also are types of Christ, as 
Adam, Melchisedek, Moses, Joshua, David and others. 
There are also hundreds of direct predictions giving 
nearly every detail of Christ's person and life and work. 
The whole nation was a type of Christ, *^a Messiah 
among the nations. '^ 

5. The whole was a preparation of the world for 
Christ. In the giving of a revelation, in the education 
of a prepared people, and finally in their dispersion 
throughout the world, a seed bed was given for the 
gospel. So that they have been, are still, and will be 
more, a fulfillment of the promise to Abraham "In thee 
and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be 
blessed. '' 

6. The teachings of the Old Testament are mostly 
as to this life. There is little as to the future life. It 
also deals with man in nations mostly. 

The rewards and penalties are also of this life. 
The general teaching may be summed up in the old 
proverb "Be good and you'll be happy." 

When we see the awful judgment on Israel for their 
sin we are reminded that God does not change and we 
need to heed the warning, "How shall we escape" 
Heb. 2:3. "Take heed lest he also spare not thee." 
Rom. 11: 21. 



CHAPTER XXII 
THE NEW TESTAMENT 

The New Testament is the flower and fruit of the 
Old. It differs from the Old in being given directly 
by Christ and his apostles; the Old being by Moses 
and the Prophets. It is also world-wide in its outlook 
instead of being mainly confined to Israel as was the 
Old. It disclosed the eternal and spiritual rather 
than the earthly and temporal as does the Old. Its 
appeals are to the individual instead of to nations as 
such, as the Old Testament does so largely. It gives 
the full gospel for man and the world, the final religion. 
It reveals a new body, the Church, and gives the Holy 
Spirit as He was not given heretofore. All this shows 
its importance. 

Christ and his work is its great theme. His coming 
had been predicted centuries before, with the tribe and 
family and place and date of his birth. While all 
were expecting him few were desiring his coming and 
fewer still awaiting him. The Jews had multiplied 
and prospered again after the return from Babylon and 
the Temple had been rebuilt in splendid fashion, the 
rites and ceremonies nearly all restored. Yet with it 
all there was little spiritual religion. While there 
were hundreds of Bible schools there was little real 

79 



80 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

scriptural study. Discussion of human additions to 
scripture and controversial points occupied the atten- 
tion. There was much wickedness with much religious 
performance. John the Baptist came to awaken the 
nation to righteousness and to proclaim the presence 
of Christ. 

The books of the New Testament fall into the four- 
fold shape of those of the Old Testament: books of 
Precept, Practice, Principles and Prophecy. 

1. Precept. The Gospels, giving the teachings of 
Christ and the facts of his life, death and resurrection. 

2. Practice. The Church putting these into effect 
and extending Christianity. 

3. Principles. The Epistles giving principles and 
experiences of Christianity. 

4. Prophecy. The Revelation; the summing up 
and forecast of all. 

The four give us, Christ in History, in Experience, 
in Doctrine and in Glory. 



CHAPTER XXIII 
THE FOUR GOSPELS 

The four Gospels are four lives of Christ. There 
are four that there may be sufficient witnesses to the 
great facts of the Gospel. There are also four 
different yet truthful and supplementary views of 
Christ. The first three are so much alike that they 
are called the Synoptic Gospels; that is, those who see 
alike. The fourth, John, is different from these and 
supplements them all. Each gospel has a different 
purpose and is addressed to a different class also. 
Matthew 

Matthew is written for the Jew and appeals to the 
scriptures. It gives Christ's descent from Abraham, 
their great progenitor. It shows his right as King of 
Israel. It proclaims the Kingdom of Heaven, a term 
that occurs in no other. It alone gives the parables 
of the kingdom. The outline is as follows: 

Ch. 1-4. The King's Advent. 

Ch. 5-13. The King Presented. 

Ch. 14-25. The King Rejected. 

Ch. 26-28. The King Crucified and Risen. 
Mark 

It IS believed this gospel was written for Romans. 
It contains no genealogy, which the Romans would 

81 



^i 



82 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

not care for, nor any reference to the Jewish scriptures 
and not any discourses but many incidents and ac- 
counts of the Lord's activity. The word "straightway" 
occurs frequently. Christ is presented as the active, 
faithful servant. The outline is as follows : 

Ch. 1-9. The Galilean Ministry. 

Ch. 10-16. The Closing Scenes. 
Luke 

This is addressed to a young Greek and is adapted 
to that people. The genealogy is followed back to 
Adam, and Christ is "the Son of Man." Luke also 
gives the sympathetic incidents and parables, all of 
which w^ould commend Christ to the Greeks, as the 
Saviour of Mankind. We see also the physician's 
traits in his description of certain diseases. It is 
believed he wrote under the direction, or at least in 
the company of his great companion, Paul, and we see 
signs of his influence also. He wrote "in order" as 
he says and so it is the most chronological gospel also. 
He alone gives us the Perean Ministry, ch. 9-19. 
The whole may be analyzed as follows: 

Ch. 1-3. Christ's Birth and Youth. 

Ch. 4-9. The Galilean Ministry. 

Ch. 10-19. The Perean Ministry. 

Ch. 29-24. The Death and Resurrection. 
John 

The Gospel of John stands by itself. It is unlike 
any other. It gives much they omit and omits much 
of what they give. It seems as if John had the others 



THE FOUR GOSPELS 83 

before him and wrote a supplemental gospel. How- 
ever, its aim explains its contents. In the close he 
tells us: ^^These are written that ye may believe 
that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that believ- 
ing ye may have life through his name." 20: 31. All 
that it contains must be read with this in view. He 
was a personal and careful witness, i John 1:1. He 
was the disciple that was specially near to Jesus, one 
of the great three that always went with him. It con- 
tains no parables but has many similies of Christ. It 
is the gospel for the w^orld. That word occurs con- 
( stantly and more than in all others. It was proba- 
bly the last book written and hence has no Jewish 
references, for the age had changed. It may be divided 
into four parts alliteratively designated. 

1. Personal, Ch. 1-3. Personal Interviews. 

2. Public, 4~i2. Public Acts and Ministry. 

3. Private, 13--17. With his Disciples. 

4. Passion, 18-21. His death. Resurrection and 
After. 

It contains special teachings and great discourses, 

1. The Deity of Christ. 

2. Salvation by Faith in Christ. 

3. The Coming of the Holy Spirit. 

4. The Coming of Christ and His Kingdom. 



CHAPTER XXIV 
THE LIFE OF CHRIST 

Combining the narratives of the Four Gospels we 
have the Life of Christ so far as it is given. It is not 
possible to make a closely connected narrative how- 
ever for as we are told, very much has been omitted. 
John 2i: 25. However a general history is possible 
and should be learned. 

The whole ma}^ be divided into seven parts : 

1. The Anterior Life. His pre-existence ; geneal- 
ogies; predictions. John I. Matt. I. Luke 3. 

2. His Birth and Youth. Matt. 1-2; Luke 1-2. 

3. The Preparation for His Ministry. His Fore- 
runner, Baptism, Anointing, Temptation. Mark 3-4. 

4. The Judean Ministry. John 1-12. 

5. The Galilean Ministry. Matt. 5-20. Mark i-io. 
Luke 4-8. 

6. The Perean Ministry. Luke 9-19. 

7. His Death, Resurrection and Ascension. Matt. 
24-28. Mark 11-16. Luke 20-24. John 13-21.* 

The following Chart will show the relative parts 
given by the several Gospels. 

♦ Harmonies of the Gospels are to be had. such as "His Life,' 
fifteen cents. Burton and Stevens, " Harmony," one dollar. 

84 



CHART OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST 



MATT. MARK LUKE JOHN 



Anterior Life 



II. 
Birth and Youth 



III. 

Preparation 



IV. 

Judean Ministry 



V. 

Galilean 
Ministry 



VI. 

Perean Ministry 



VII. 

Death, to 
Ascension 



I 



I 



I 



86 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

The period of Christ^s labors is often divided into 
three parts, the periods of Obscurity, Popularity 
and Opposition. 

His work consisted of three great objects: 

1 . His Mission to Israel as their Messiah. 

2. Preparation of His Apostles. 

3. His Death and Resurrection. 

The last was his great work. On this rests all the 
Gospel. It is this which gives the foundation for the 
doctrines of Christianity, He died for our sins. He 
rose for our justification. He ascended for our keep- 
ing and Intercession. 

The Parables of Christ are the most beautiful of his 
teachings. There are thirty-one complete parables 
besides symbols and similes. They are from na- 
ture and life. Some are given to disclose truth and 
some to reveal to some and hide from others. They 
are given in the latter part of his ministry. They 
may be divided into groups according to the subject 
as the parables of the kingdom. Matt. 13. These tell 
what his kingdom is. Others are parables that de- 
clare the gospel to us. 

Chrisl^s Miracles were wrought to attest his deity 
and to illustrate his character and gospel. They are 
miracles of power over disease, over nature, over evil 
spirits and power in heavenly things. They are 
characterized by publicity. All are done in the open. 
All are marked by benevolence. 

The discourses oj Christ should have special study. 



THE LIFE OF CHRIST 87 

There are ten great discourses besides smaller sayings. 
Christ's Deity, John 5. Sermon on the Mount, Matt. 
5-7. Unpardonable Sin, Matt. 12. Second Coming, 
Luke 21. To the apostles, Matt. 10. Bread of Life, 
John 6. Humility, Matt. 18. The Good Shepherd, 
John 10. The End of the Age and his Coming, Matt. 
24-25. His Farewell Discourse, John 13-16. 



CHAPTER XXV 
THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 

The author was Luke, a physician and the compan- 
ion of Paul and the writer of the Gospel of Luke. 
This was also written to the same young Greek, Theo- 
philus. The title tells its contents. It is not however 
the history of all the apostles. We do not know much 
about the others. They went everywhere throughout 
the habitable world, we have every reason to believe. 
Col. 1 : 6-23. This book tells of the beginnings of the 
Gospel and the Churches, especially under the leader- 
ship of the two apostles, Peter, who occupies the first 
part, ch. 1-12, and Paul the later part, 13-28. This 
is the proper division in which to study the book. 
We give the first part by chapters. 

The Petrine Section y 1--12. 

1. The Ascension. Judas Iscariot's Death. Apos- 
tle Chosen. 

2. Pentecost. Conversions. The Church. 

3. The Lame Man Healed. Peter^s Address. 

4. Peter's Arrest. Release. Prayer for Holy 
Spirit. 

5. Ananias and Sapphira. Peter's Arrest. 

6. Deacons Chosen. Stephen's Power. 

7. Stephen's Address and Martyrdom. 

88 ; 



THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 89 

8. Philip in Samaria. The Ethiopian. 

9. Saul's Conversion. Peter Heals Eneas and 
Dorcas. 

10. Cornelius. Peter's Vision. 

11. Council at Jerusalem. 

12. James Slain. Peter arrested and Released. 
Herod's death. 

The great subjects here for study are : The Pente- 
1 costal Baptism of the Holy Spirit; the first Christian 
j Church; the first martyr, Stephen, whose death must 
( so powerfully have affected Paul; the great revival in 
, Samaria, and the first proclamation of the gospel to 
I Gentiles at Caeserea. 

I The first Christians were Jews and retained much 
of their Jewish life and religion. Later these Jewish 
traits were dropped. So that Acts, especially the 
early part, shows the transition stage of the Christian 
Church, as seen in the First Council especially, where 
they released the Gentiles from nearly all such Jewish 
obligations. 



CHAPTER XXVI 
PAUL 

Paul occupies the last part of Acts, 13-28. 

We give a chapter to this great apostle because of 
his character, work and position. He wrote half the 
books of the New Testament, especially the great 
Epistle to the Romans, the systematic statement of 
Christianity. He is given us as a model, saying many 
times, ''Be ye followers of me." We have more of his 
personal and missionary life than of all others. It 
was Paul who laid the foundations of European 
Christianity from which all modern Christianity has 
come. He was specially called by Christ in person, 
and declared to be a chosen vessel. 

The outline of his life and labors will be seen in 
the following outline by which we notice some strik- 
ing facts. 

1. Under deep conviction until Christ called him. 
Acts 26: 14. 

2. Personally called and converted by Christ as his 
nation will be. Acts 9. i Cor. 15:8. 

3. Method of receiving the Holy Spirit, so different 
from Pentecost, yet equal to any. Acts 9: 17-18; 
Rom. 15: 18; 2 Cor. 12: 12. 

90 



PAUL 91 

4. Supernatural reception of the Gospel. Gal. i: 
11-12. 

5. Ordained ten years after conversion. Acts 13:1. 

6. His vast sphere of labor, three thousand miles 
in extent. 

7. His wonderful sufferings and labors, i Cor. 
11:22-33. 

8. His ideal of his mission ^^to fill out the afflictions 
of Christ^' for the Church. Col. i: 24. 

9. His vision of Paradise. 2 Cor. 12. 

10. His companions, Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, 
Luke, Titus, and the large number of personal friends 
in every place. 

11. His epistles written in his last ten or fifteen 
years. 

12. His triumphant end. 

13. His splendid self -forgetting character; love for 
Christ and passion for saving souls; his tender and 
gracious feelings; his holy ambitions; his great gospel 
of grace, which word begins and ends every epistle. 



92 



A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 



Chart of Paul's Life 



Date 


Events 


Place 


Acts 


35 


Converted. 


Damascus. Visits 
Jerusalem and 








Tarsus. 


9 


41 


Re velati ons received . Gal . 1 


Arabia. 






Sent out by Council with 


Antioch. 


11 




Barnabas. 






45 


Ordained by Church of An- 
tioch. 


Antioch. 


13 


46 


First Miss. Journey. Bar- 


Asia Minor and 






nabas. 


Greece. 


13 




Stoned. Vision (1 Cor. 14) . 


Lystra. 


14 


50 


Visits Jerusalem. 

Sent with message to Gen- 








tiles. 




15 


51 


Second Miss. Journey. Si- 


Phillipi, Athens, 






las. Lydia. Jailor. Mars 


etc. 






Hill. 






53 


Writes Galatians, 1, 2 

Thess. 
Returns to Antioch. 


Antioch. 


16-18 


56 


Third Miss. Journey. 

Ap olios. Church at Eph- 

esus. 
Wrote 1, 2 Corinthians, 


Ephesus 3 years. 


19 




Romans. 




20 


59 


Journey to Pentecost. 








Arrested. Tried. 


Jerusalem. 


21-23 




Imprisoned. Tried. 


Caeserea. 


24-26 


62 


Voyage to Rome. Ship- 
wreck. 


Mediterranean Sea 


27 


63 


In Prison in Rome. 
Wrote Philippians, Colos- 
sians, Ephesians, Philemon 


Rome. 


28 


63 


Tried and Acquitted. 
Wrote 1 Timothy, Titus. 






68 


In Prison again. 
Wrote 2 Timothy. 


Rome. 




69 


Probably beheaded at 
Rome. 






70 


Jerusalem destroyed. 







CHAPTER XXVII 
THE EPISTLES 

The Epistles were letters written to churches or 
individuals. 

They give us the doctrinal and experimental teach- 
I ings of Christianity. Some were given to correct 
' special errors and each has its own characteristics. 
; The principal writer was Paul who wrote two-thirds 

• of the whole twenty-one. They are not arranged in 

• special chronological order. PauPs epistles all come 
I first and then those by other writers. Paul's epistles 
\ are characterized by a certain order; first a doctrinal 
\ section, then practical duties. He is also very per- 
I sonal and sends many messages to and from his com- 
I panions and friends. Paul is the great teacher of 
j Christianity as well as the great model of Christian 

motive and work. 
J We divide Paul's epistles into the following groups : 
j I. Doctrinal. Romans. The Great Book on Sys- 
, tematic Christian Teaching. 
I 2. Corrective Epistles, 1--2 Corinthians, Galatians. 

3. The Imprisonment Epistles, Ephesians, Philip- 
pians, Colossians, Philemon. 

4. Eschatological Epistles, 1-2 Thessalonians. 

5. Pastoral Epistles. 1-2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon. 

93 



94 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

Hebrews, if PauPs, might be classed with the second 
group. 

The other epistles are seven and are called General 
Epistles, because not addressed to particular Churches. 
There are four writers, James, Peter, John and Jude. 
The epistle was a common way of spreading the 
Gospel and instructing the Church. We must not 
suppose these are all the epistles written. Paul alludes 
to some he wrote that have not been preserved. 
Letter writing is still a splendid way to do good. 

Every epistle, especially PauPs, has a clearly defined 
thought and plan. To study this out will be the best 
way to learn and use the epistle. 



CHAPTER XXVIII 
THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS 

This properly has the first place. It is our great 
systematic statement of Christianity by Christ's 
chosen apostle. It is very properly addressed to the 
Christians at the world's capital but not to "the 
Church of Rome." Paul had not been there, but 
there were Christians and churches there. He wrote 
this near the end of his life with all the equipment that 
a life of study, experience and observation that the 
Holy Spirit used in its composition. 

Its theme is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

It has four great parts. 

I. Doctrine 

Ch. I. God's Wrath against Sin. Man's Re- 
sponsibility, World's Apostacy, Sin and State. 

Ch. 2. Man's State before God. Without excuse. 
Without escape. Sinners judged by law and con- 
science. 

Ch. 3. Advantage of the Jew. All Guilty. God's 
salvation in Christ. 

Ch. 4. This was the Gospel of Abraham. Does 
not rest on the Law. 

Ch, 5. It is a world wide Gospel, Christ taking 
Adam's place and restoring salvation. 

95 



96 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

II. Experience 

Ch. 6. Victory over sin is for the believer. He is 
dead, buried and risen with Christ. 

Ch. 7. He has a new nature. The struggle with 
the old. Use of the Law. 

Ch. 8. The Victory of the believer. Walking In 
the Spirit. God's final purpose. 

III. DiSPENSATIONAL 

Ch. 9. Israel and Her Place, God's Sovereignty. 
Salvation of the Gentiles through Israel. 

Ch. 10. Israel's Failure. Where they missed. 

Ch. II. Israel's Future. Salvation of the Gentiles 
in Israel's Restoration. 

IV. Peactical Duties 

Ch. 12. Consecration of the Body. Right adjust- 
ment to all conditions. 

Ch. 13. Submission to authorities. Christian 
Virtues. 

Ch. 14. Christian Conduct in Matters of Doubt. 

Ch. 15. Harmony. Ministry to the Gentiles. 

Ch. 16. Personal Messages. 



CHAPTER XXIX 
CORRECTIVE EPISTLES 

I-II Corinthians. Galatians 
Evils of many kinds quickly appeared in the 
churches. Many of the Jews insisted on the Gentile 
Christians coming under the observances of the Law 
of Moses as they did. There were questions also 
about various doctrines that arose. Many immoral 
practices appeared, as unchastity and dishonesty. 
Sects also began to appear. Some disputed Paul's 
authority because he was not of the Twelve. Irregu- 
larities in the observance of the Lord's Supper also 
appeared in some places, and some were in danger of 
lapsing into unbelief. So that Paul and all the apos- 
tles had much care to correct these evils. Some of 
the Epistles were directed to this purpose. These we 
now consider. 

I CORINTHIANS 

This was addressed to the Church at Corinth, a 
commercial metropolis, wealthy, and with all the evils 
of a great city. Paul had spent eighteen months with 
them but they had now fallen into evil ways. Parties 
were formed. One person had fallen into unchastity. 
They were mingling in heathen ceremonies and 
pleasures. Their Assemblies were disorderly. Some 

97 



98 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

even disputed the doctrines of Christianity and 
some denied PauPs authority. Paul was in great 
distress of mind for other causes at the time and this 
news from Corinth was an additional burden. In 
this epistle he reproves and corrects their evils. The 
Epistle may be divided into three parts : 

1. Reproof. Ch. i-6. Sects, Unchastity, Law- 
suits. 

2. Correction. 7-1 1. Marriage, Meats offered. 
Worship, The Lord's Table. 

3. Instruction. 12-16. Gifts of Tongues, Assem- 
blies, The Resurrection, Collections, Personal Mes- 
sages. ^ 

II CORINTHIANS 

The former epistle had been received and the offend- 
ing person become penitent and Paul now sends as- 
surance of forgiveness. But certain charges had 
been made against him and he now defends himself 
against them. So that this epistle is intensely per- 
sonal. Its contents are as follows: 

Answers their complaint about his not visiting 
them as he promised. 1-2. 

Shows his apostolic authority. 3-9. 

Defends his Ministry. 10-13. 

GALATIANS 

This was written earlier than perhaps any other 
epistle and deals with the Judaizing party and their 
errors. The argument they used against him was 



CORRECTIVE EPISTLES 99 

that he was not one of the Twelve Apostles and so had 
not the same authority as they. He wrote this epistle 
with his own hand as he tells us and it is most intense. 
The theme is, the standing of the believer by faith 
alone. The analysis is as follows: 

His Personal Defence, 1-2. 

Doctrinal Teaching as to Standing by Faith, 3-4. 

Practical Duties in Life and Conduct that come 
from this, 5-6. 



CHAPTER XXX 
THE IMPRISONMENT EPISTLES 

EpHESIANS . PhILIPPIANS . COLOSSIANS 

These were written by Paul while in prison in Rome. 
They have a peculiarly high tone of doctrine and 
experience, in fact touch the highest mysteries. His 
confinement and solitude and freedom from usual toil 
left his mind open to meditate on these deep mysteries 
with which he comforted himself and the church. He 
sent these epistles out with messengers who came to 
him with aid. Philemon was also written from this 
imprisonment but we include it among the personal or 
pastoral group for convenience. 

EPHESIANS 

This epistle contains few local matters and indeed 
it is supposed it may have been the epistle to Laodicea 
elsewhere referred to or sent to both churches, Col. 
4: 16. It is divided into two parts. Doctrinal, 1-3 and 
Practical, 4-6. 

I. The Doctrinal part, 1--3, treats of the Church as 
the Body of Christ, having its origin in the Father, the 
Son and the Holy Spirit. The Father chose us, the 
Son redeemed us, the Holy Spirit formed and sancti- 
fied us. It shows what we were, what we are, and 

100 



THE IMPRISONMENT EPISTLES 101 

what we shall be, ''' the fullness of Him who filleth all 
in all," through the endless ages of Eternity. All 
is "In Christ," the prevailing term in this epistle. 

The practical part comes from all this. The pre- 
vailing theme is the believer's w^alk. "Walk worthy 
of the calling," 4: 1-6; "Walk not as Gentiles," 4: 17; 
"Walk in Love," 5:2; "Walk as Children of light," 
5:8; "Walk circumspectly," 5: 15; all in view of the 
significant reference to the unseen spiritual antago- 
nists of the believer meets: "principalities, powers, 
world rulers of this darkness, spiritual hosts in heav- 
enly places," 6: 10-20. 

PHILIPPIANS 

This was written to Paul's favorite church and is 
the most joyous epistle. He had received a messenger 
from them with supplies for his wants while in prison 
and sends this back with him. He was chained to a 
guard who was changed daily and so through this he 
makes his gospel known throughout the whole Prae- 
torian Guard, i : 13. There were, however, some 
false Christians who endeavored to annoy him by 
proclaiming what they supposed was the gospel. The 
prevailing theme of the Epistle is Christian joy. This 
is found expressed in every chapter. 

The general analysis is: 

Doctrinal, ch. 1--2. 

Exhortation, 3-4. 

The splendid passage as to Christ's great descent 
and exaltation is noteworthy. 2 : 5-10. 



102 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

COLOSSIANS 

This was sent at the same time and by the same 
messenger who carried the epistle to the Ephesians 
which it resembles greatly. But in Colosse the local 
need was great. There were heresies that minimized 
Christ and exalted forms. So Paul presents the 
Eternal Christ, Creator and Head of all beings, i : i~i6. 
To combat the reliance on forms, etc., he tells of 
^^Christ in you" as the great mystery and gift. In 
Ephesians it was ^^In Christ,'' here it is the converse. 
He presents the work of the Church as filling out the 
unlived half of Christ's earthly life, i : 24. The whole 
may be divided as follows : 

1. Doctrinal. Christ as the Eternal Christ, Creator 
and Head of all beings. 

2. Experimental. ^^Christ in you" as opposed to 
reliance on external forms. jL j 

3. Practical and social duties. ™' 

4. Personal messages to many, especially Mark, 
once set aside, now forgiven. 



CHAPTER XXXI 
THE ESCHATOLOGICAL EPISTLES 

I Thessalonians 

These epistles are so called because they deal with 
^'the last things. '^ They were among Paul's first 
letters. They deal with a special theme and so are to 
be taken together. Paul had taken the gospel to 
this place and afterwards visited them and intended 
to do so again but had been hindered and so sent 
Timothy who brought back a comforting report to 
him. They were standing fast notwithstanding perse- 
cution. The first three chapters review their receiv- 
ing the gospel and his personal anxiety and comfort 
in them. The last two chapters deal with doctrinal 
and practical matters. The doctrinal subject is the 
Second Coming of Christ. He tells how he will come 
to the believers, ch. 4: 13-18; and how he will come to 
unbelievers, ch. 5 : 1-4. He then exhorts to the watch- 
fulness and holiness this should teach. 
II Thessalonians 

Some had derived wrong impressions from the pre- 
vious letter or some other source as to the Coming of 
Christ and imagined he had come and gone and left 
them behind. So he writes the second letter to correct 
their views. He assures them that the day of Christ's 

103 



104 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

Coming had not yet appeared and could not until a 
certain mysterious hindrance was taken away and a 
great antichristian evil had been permitted to appear. 
This he calls the Man of Sin. 

The two epistles are the fullest teaching we have in 
the Epistles as to the Second Coming of Christ which 
is their theme. They teach us that we are to wait and 
hope for it, i Thess. 4: 10. The crown of glory is 
given then, 2:19. ^^ ^^ ^^^ great incentive to holiness 
of life, 3: 13. It is our comfort in loss of friends, 
4: 13-18. It comes unexpectedly to the world but not 
to us, 5: T-6. 



CHAPTER XXXII 
THE PASTORAL EPISTLES 

I-II Timothy. Titus. Philemon 
These are epistles written to ministers associated 
with PauL He wrote Philemon while in prison the 
first time, i Timothy and Titus after being released, 
and 2 Timothy while in prison the second time. 
They are full of instruction for Christian workers. 

I TIMOTHY 

Timothy was one of Paul's converts and afterwards 
his assistant and was very faithful and greatly beloved 
by him. He was however timid and suffered in 
health from hereditary weakness. So that there is a 
constant tone of encouragement and strengthening in 
Paul's epistles to him. The first epistle was written 
to Timothy while he was at Ephesus w^here Paul had 
spent so much time. The inroads of the " grievous 
wolves" he had predicted had appeared. Acts 20: 29. 
He writes Timothy correcting their evils. The various 
matters are intermingled but the general course of the 
epistle is as follows : 

Ch. I. Doctrinal. The use of the Law. 

Ch. 2. Public Services, especially prayer. 

Ch. 3. Oj05cers of the Church. 
105 



106 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

Ch. 4. Errors and personal exhortations. 

Ch. 5. Various Classes, as elders, widows, 
servants. 

Ch. 6. Errors and greed. Closing charge. 

n TIMOTHY 

This is PauPs last message that we have. He was 
in prison in Rome awaiting execution, probably this 
time in a dungeon, suffering with cold and loneliness 
and other afflictions. He is "ready to be offered," that 
is, his blood poured out as a libation. He reviews his 
course and looks forward triumphantly to the end. 
He urged Timothy to renewed fidelity and courage. 
The chapters are as follows: 

Ch. I. Personal recollections of Timothy. 

Ch. 2. Charges to Timothy. 

Ch. 3. Predictions of coming evils in the church. 

Ch. 4. Last messages and testimony. 

TITUS 

Titus was more like a companion to Paul while 
Timothy was like a son. He was also one of his dis- 
ciples and assistants. It is a letter of instructions 
as to the work in Crete which he had visited with 
Titus but had been unable to complete. The best 
division is by chapters. 

Ch. I. Ordination of Elders. How to deal with 
the Cretans. 

Ch. 2. Various classes; as, women, young men, 
ser^^ants. 

Ch. 3. Subjection to rulers, industry. 



THE PASTORAL EPISTLES 107 

PHILEMON 

A personal letter to Philemon about a runaway 
servant who came to Paul, was converted, and he now 
sends him back with a plea for kindness. There is no 
other special matter but the whole is a beautiful illus- 
tration of Christian kindness both toward the one sent 
and him to whom he was sent. He promises to repay 
what Onesim.us had cost Philemon. It illustrates 
Christ's intercession for us. 



CHAPTER XXXIII 
HEBREWS 

The authorship of this epistle is not agreed upon. 
There are many arguments for and against its 
authorship by Paul. Its place after his epistles 
points to the same unsettled question early in the his- 
tory. However there is no agreement as to any 
other author. The inscriptions or titles were added 
later and are not part of the original writing. 

It was written to a church of Hebrew Christians 
who had been severely persecuted and had been 
tempted to fall back into the Judaistic belief and 
customs. This, the epistle aims to correct. The 
argument is to show the superiority of the gospel to 
all that went before it, especially the Old Testament 
teaching and practice of the Law. The arguments 
are mingled with frequent w^arnings and exhortations 
and promises. The recurring w^ords are ^'better," 
*^hold fast.'' While recognizing the divine character 
and origin of the Mosaic Law and its requirements he 
shows that the **good may be the enemy of the best." 

The general theme is the Superiority of Christ and 
his Gospel: 

I. In his Person. Ch. 1-4. Better than prophets, 
angels and even Moses. 

108 



HEBREWS 109 

2. In his Offices. Ch. 5-7. As High Priest Christ 
is better than Aaron and his offerings. 

3. In his work. Ch. S-io. Christ's work reaches 
Heaven and the inmost heart of man. 

4. In his Religion. The effect is faith, ch. 11; 
hope, ch. 12; love, ch. 13. 

It is a stimulating book to any tempted to let go 
faith or to fall back on works or ceremonies as a 
ground of assurance. It shows that all the Old Testa- 
ment Law was to shadow forth Christ. 

The titles given Christ are many and significant. 
He is called, Son of God, Captain of Our Salvation, 
Head of His House, High Priest, Our Forerunner, 
Intercessor, Meditor of the New Covenant, Our Sacri- 
fice, The Great Shepherd of the Sheep. 

The teaching of the whole is that Christ is sufficient 
for all the believer's needs and he should look no 
further. The chapter on faith tells what was done 
by believers and this, too, in secular and temporal 
matters. The types and ceremonies of the Law are 
shadows and copies of heavenly things which the 
believer now has in Christ. 



CHAPTER XXXIV 
THE GENERAL EPISTLES 

James. I-II Peter. I-II-III John. Jude 

These are usually grouped together because they 
are alike in being mostly addressed to no particular 
church or person. They have little resemblance 
otherwise. They are by the (our writers, James, 
Peter, John and Jude. 

JAMES 

This was James, the brother of the Lord. He was 
overseer of the church at Jerusalem. It was addressed 
''To the Twelve Tribes scattered abroad"; that is, 
Jews throughout the world converted to Christ. It 
w^as to teach Christian morality rather than doctrine. 
The evils were those that would arise in times of 
prosperity, such as class distinctions, pride, injustice, 
etc. It follows closely the Sermon on the Mount 
and is like that a spiritual application of the Law. 
The chapter subjects are as follows: 

1. Trials and Temptations. 

2. Respect of Persons. Dead Faith. 

3. The Tongue and its misuse. 

4. Strife and Worldliness. 

5. Oppression and Patience, the Prayer of Faith. 
There is seeming conflict in chapter two between the 

110 



THE GENERAL EPISTLES 111 

teaching there and that of Paul as to works and faith. 
It is only apparent difference. Paul is writing of a 
sinner's faith in Christ for salvation, James of a 
Christian's faith after salvation. Paul speaks of 
ceremonial works and James of works of love. Paul 
teaches that faith alone can save, James tests that 
faith by its works. 

I PETER 

Peter addresses the same dispersed Christian Jews 
as James. They had a threefold cause of suffering. 
First as Jews, then as Christians and also persecution 
by other Jews as apostates. 

The general theme, patience in suffering, is men- 
tioned in every chapter. Patience and Holiness of 
Life is urged. 

Ch. I. The glory to come at the Revelation of 
Christ. 

Ch. 2. Our royal state and the example of Christ. 

Ch. 3. Exhortations to servants, wives, husbands. 

Ch. 4. The sufferings of Christ and blessing of 
fellowship in them. 

Ch. 5.^ To the Elders. 

11 PETER 

He confirms the previous epistle. This also affirms 
the second epistle. This is a warning mainly against 
false teachers and evil doers in the churches. It 
greatly resembles the epistle by Jude. 

The chapter subjects are as follows: 

Ch. I. Exhorts progress and confidence. Attests 



112 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

his presence with Christ on the Mount of Transfigura- 
tion and refers to Christ's prediction of his death. 

Ch. 2. Warns against false prophets, foretells 
their fate, cites the Flood, Sodom and Balaam. 

Ch. 3. Foretells the destruction of the World by 
fire, and the New Heavens and Earth. 

I JOHN 

John's epistles are different from all that are before. 
He wrote long after the destruction of Jerusalem and 
the death of all the apostles. The time of transition 
had passed. The theme is to confirm the faith of the 
believers. 

The theme of the first epistle is Assurance. It tells 
the marks of those who are and those who are not true 
Christians. It also deals with the inner spiritual 
states, such as fellowship, holiness, love. The word 
*'know'' occurs often. He tells that he wrote that we 
mav ^^know that we have eternal life.'' 5 : 13. 

There is no clear line of analysis. The themes are 
intermingled. 

n JOHN 

A private letter to a lady of rank. He warns her 
as to false teachers who will come, and bids her not 
receive them into her house. 

Ill JOHN 

A similar letter to Gaius who hospitably received 
the believers. He warns against a certain false 
Christian. 



THE GENERAL EPISTLES 113 

JUDE 

This epistle is by Judas, a brother of James, perhaps 
the brother of the author of the Epistle of James. 
It is very like the Second Epistle of Peter. It is an 
epistle of warning as to apostates. It is remarkable 
for some strange matters not elsewhere given; as a 
quotation from the Prophecy of Enoch, which we do 
not have; the fall of the angels and their state; the 
contention of Michael with Satan as to the body of 
Moses. The strong terms applied to the false mem- 
bers in the church are remarkable. They are hidden 
rocks, selfish shepherds, clouds without water, with- 
ered trees plucked up by the roots in autumn, wild 
waves of the sea, wandering stars. They are com- 
pared to those before the Flood, to Sodom, to the 
fallen angels, to Cain and Balaam. It closes with a 
solemn promise to the faithful. 



CHAPTER XXXV 
THE REVELATION 

The Revelation is the last and greatest book in the 
Bible. Its author is Jesus Christ, who, while through 
the Holy Spirit he is the author of all scripture, yet 
in this book his name is so given. It is ^^The Revela- 
tion of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him." 

He attaches a special blessing to the reading of it 
and a malediction against any tampering with it. 
2: 3; 22: 1S-19. 

It is a prophecy of ''Things which must shortly 
come to pass,'' and is therefore of exceeding interest. 
It predicts matters reaching down to the end and into 
the ages of eternity. It declares the rise of mighty 
systems of iniquity, the impenitency of the world, the 
final conflicts, the triumph of Christ, the last judgment 
and the resurrection, the coming of Heaven and the 
happy state of the redeemed. It is the summing up 
of all prophecies, especially those of the Old Testa- 
ment from which its symbols are mostly taken. It is 
the sequel to the prophecies of Daniel whose figures 
it takes up and enlarges. 

Outline 

The first five chapters are introductory. The pre- 
dictions begin with the sixth chapter in the form of 

114 



THE REVELATION 115 

the opening of a Sealed Book. This book is the 
prophecy itself. All the predictions are within this 
book. 

It consists of seven parts called Seals which being 
opened successively disclose the coming events. The 
Seventh Seal opens out into seven other parts called 
Trumpets, each also giving a succession of events. 
The Seventh Trumpet also in turn opens out into 
Seven Vials, also giving a succession of events. 

This arrangement seems to require that these there- 
fore be read continuously and successively. We 
must first read the Seals, then the Trumpets, and last 
the Vials. 

Intervening episodes occur between these and there 
is a question whether these are also to be read as they 
occur. There is a hint as to a retrogression in the 
fact that the Scroll or Book is written within and on 
the back. So that we must read the front and then 
the back, or read them alternately with the Seals^ 
Trumpets and Vials as they occur. 

Another matter to be considered is as to language 
in which it is written. It is written in symbols. A 
Candlestick means a church, a Star an angel or 
messenger or minister. These symbols are taken 
mostly from the Old Testament, many of whose events 
are thus used as symbols of coming events. 

Another point to be settled is when do the events 
predicted begin? Immediately after John^s time or 
later? Are they mostly past or still before us? The 



116 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

opening verse seems to decide, "To show unto his 
servants things that must shortly come to pass." 
The closing verse indicates the same, "The time is at 
hand." 22: 10. 

Another point to be decided is at what place in the 
prophecy do we find the end of the world or age? 
This would tell us what is still before us. 

Chart of the Revelation 

CHAPTERS 

I. Introductory. Vision of Seven Candlesticks and Christ. 
Ill f ^®^^®^s to the Seven Churches of Asia. 
IV. Vision of Heaven, Throne, Elders, Cherubim. 
V. The Sealed Book and Christ. 
VI. Opening of the SEALS. 

First Seal. White Horse Rider. Conquering. 
/Second Seal. Red Horse Rider. War. Take peace 

from earth. 
Third Seal. Black Horse Rider. Oppression. 
Fourth Seal. Pale Horse Rider. Sword, Famine, Pes- 
tilence. 
Fifth Seal. Martyrs and their Cry. 
Sixth Seal. Signs in Sun, Moon, Heavens. The Great 
Day of Wrath. 
VII. Sealing of 144,000. Great White Robed Multitude. 

VIII. Seventh Seal. Seven Trumpets. 

First Trumpet. Hail, fire. Third part trees and 

grass destroyed. 
Second Trumpet. Burning Mountain in Sea. 

Third part of life destroyed. 
Third Trumpet. Burning Star. Rivers become 

Wormwood. 
FourtJi Trumpet. Sun, Moon, Stars, smitten in 
third part. 
IX. Woe 1. Fifth Trumpet. Fallen Star. Locusts from the 
Abyss. Torment five months. 
Woe 2. Sixth Trumpet. Satanic Horsemen from Eu- 
phrates. " Repented no t. " 
X. Angel with Little Book. Seven Thunders. 

John. 
XI. Temple Measured. Two Olive Trees. Wit- 

nesses. 
Woe 3. Seventh Trumpet. Heavenly Chorus. 
XII. Sun Clothed Woman. Man child Dragon, 

Flight. 

XIII. Beast from the Sea. Beast from the Earth 

Blasphemy, Persecutions. 

XIV. Glorified 144,000. Warning Angels. Harvest. 

Winepress. 
XV. Seven Vials of Wrath. 



THE REVELATION 117 

Chart of the Revelation — Continued 

CHAPTUBS 

XVI. First Vial. Sores on Man and Beast. 

Second Vial. Poured on Sea Death. 
Third Vial. On Rivers Turned to Blood. 
Fourth Vial, Poured on Sun. Men Scorched. 

"Repented not." 
Fifth Vial. On Throne of Beast. Torment. 

** Repent not." 
Sixth Vial. On Euphrates. Kings of the 

East. Three Unclean Spirits. 
Seventh Vial. On Air. "It Is Done." Great 
City divided. Cities fall. "Men Blas- 
pheme." 
XVII. The Scarlet Woman and her fate. 

XVIII. Fall of Babylon World's Lament. 

XIX. Heavenly Chorus over Fall of Babylon. 

The Word and the White Horse Army. Conflict with 
the Beast. Victory. 
XX. Satan Bound a thousand years. Millennium, Apostacy. 
Final Conflict. 
Judgment of Great White Throne. 
XXI. New Heavens and Earth. New Jerusalem. 
XXII. River of Life. Closing Words. 

The Interpretations 
This is most difficult as would be expected in such 
a mysterious book and subject. The best of students 
have differed widely as to its meaning. We cannot 
therefore be dogmatic upon such a theme. We will 
consider the various views held. They may be roughly 
classed as regarding the matters predicted as past, 
present or future. We will give the outline of each. 

I. THE PAST FULFILLMENT 

This can scarcely be considered as a fulfillment for 
it regards this book as a religious drama founded on 
the events of the destruction of Jerusalem and the 
persecutions of Nero. This disregards the claims of 
the Revelation to be a prophecy and therefore must 
be rejected by believers in prophecy. 



118 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

II. THE PRESENT FULFILLMENT 

This regards the prophecy as declaring the course 
of events that affect the cause of Christ from the 
apostles' day to the end. Our own time being in the 
close of the Vials. The events or periods thus pre- 
dicted are as follows: 

Ch. 6. The Seals. Conditions from John's day 
to the overthrow of paganism by Constantine. 

Ch. 7. The rise and growth of Christianity. 

Ch. 8-9. The Trumpets. The invasions of the 
Goths and Vandals on the western world and the 
invasion of the Saracens and Turks on the eastern 
world. 

Ch. lo-ii. The dark ages and the w^itnesses for 
Christ. 

Ch. 12-14. Retrogressive. The Rise of Antichris- 
tianity and the Papal Power. 

15-16. Wars in Europe, French Revolution, 
Napoleonic wars. The decline of Mohammedanism. 

Ch. 17-18. Theoverthrowof apostate Christianity. 

Ch. 19. The Coming of Christ. 

Ch. 20. The Millennium and the Final Judgment. 

Ch. 21-22. Heaven and the Eternal Ages, 

III. THE FUTURE FULFILLMENT 

This interpretation begins at various points in the 
prophecy. Some interpret, ^^the Lord's Day," i :io, as 
*^the Day of the Lord" and so place all the book in the 
future. Others say that the letters to the Seven 
Churches predict seven stages of church life during 



THE REVELATION 119 

our times and back to the apostolic age. Others 
regard the church as translated in the fourth chapter, 
4:4, and so all after is future. Some begin with 
the sixth chapter which is applied to the times from 
John's day to the end, Matt. 24: 4-12, the Sixth Seal 
being the end of the world or age, and all after that 
of course being future. All agree that the judg- 
ments of the Trumpets and Vials are still to come upon 
the earth and that the beasts described in ch. 13 are 
Antichrist and his empire. 

It agrees with the last described view in that the 
coming of Christ is not far ofif. 

It will be seen that the subject is extremely difficult. 
But this is true, that the blessing promised is not to 
those who understand but to those who read and keep 
the things written therein. The reading is inspiring 
and corrective of human ideals and ideas. It culti- 
vates a deep sense of the reality of the unseen and 
future world. It shows forth the depth of sin and the 
obstinacy of human guilt. In all that wonderful 
display, whether past or future, there is no repentance, 
for it declares, ^Hhey repented not, . . . they blasphemed 
God." The lesson of the whole is the certainty of 
penalty for sin and reward for the godly. It sets 
forth the coming of the Judge of living and dead as 
the great object of faith. The closing prayer of the 
apostle should be ours: '^Even so, come, Lord Jesus." 



CHAPTER XXXVI 
THE WAY OF SALVATION 

A few chapters on practical application of Bible 
study are given. The first is to ascertain how one 
may be saved and how to communicate this to others. 
The great need in seeking or presenting Salvation is 
a sense of one's need of it. So the Bible clearly 
declares man's state as lost, guilty and hopeless. 
The proper understanding of this includes the ques- 
tions, Why man needs salvation, and what that salva- 
tion is and how it is secured and assured. 

T. Why man needs Salvation. The Bible teaches 
that he is lost, guilty and hopeless. "All are under 
sin." "None righteous no not one.'' "Death passed 
upon all men for that all have sinned." "Without 
Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and 
strangers from the covenants of Israel having no hope 
and without God in the world." Rom. 3 : 9-10; 5:12; 
Eph. 2:12. All the teaching of Christ and the apostles 
agrees with this. 

2. The only salvation is in Jesus Christ. "No man 
cometh unto the Father but by me." "Neither is 
there salvation in any other for there is none other 
name given under heaven among men whereby we 
must be saved." "He that hath the Son hath life, 

120 



THE WAY OF SALVATION 121 

and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." 
**He that believeth on the Son hath life; and he that 
believeth not [obeyeth not] the Son of God shall not 
see life but the wrath of God abideth on him." John 
14: 6. Acts 4: 12. I John 5: 12. John 3: 36. 

3. Salvation is had by believing in Christ, Believ- 
ing means that one believes Christ is the Son of God, 
accepts him as his personal Saviour and Lord and 
commits himself to him and then relies upon him for 
salvation. Such will then confess Christ openly and 
begin a life of prayer and obedience to Christ. 

^^As many as received him, to them gave he power 
to become the sons of God, even to them that believe 
on his name." John i: 12. 

4. The Evidences one is saved. There are three 
lines of evidence. ^^There are three that bear witness 
in earth, the Spirit, and the water and the blood." 
I John s : 8. 

1. The Witness of the Spirit, a secret, personal wit- 
ness that expresses itself in affectionate and sub- 
missive desires toward God the Father. Rom. 8: 16. 

2. The Witness of the water. That is an open con- 
fession of Christ as in baptism and all public confes- 
sions of Christ. I John 4:11. All Christian acts and 
conduct are included here. Love for the brethren, 
keeping Christ^s commandments, abstinence from 
known sin, patient endurance of chastisement, i John 
4: is; I John 2:3-5; -3: 6-10; 14- 

3. The Blood. The witness of the Word that God 



122 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

sent Christ to die and save us; that he fulfilled all; 
that he settled for our sins in full; that he offers sal- 
vation to all; that those who come and take, receive; 
that all who take Christ have salvation. John 3: i6; 
2 Cor. 15:3-4; Isaiah 53:6; John 10:27-29; Heb. 
6: 16-29; Rom. 8: 28-39. 



CHAPTER XXXVII 
POWER IN PRAYER 

A large part of the Bible is Prayer and one great 
object of Bible study is to learn to pray. Prayer is 
the greatest avenue of power known to man. It far 
surpasses all preacliing, giving, working of every kind. 
It is an art to be learned and learned by study and 
practice. When one has learned how to pray he has 
reached the place of peace and holiness as well as 
usefulness. It is worth while then here to study it a 
little. 

Prayer consists of many exercises. There is the 
prayer of adoration or praise and thanksgiving.^^ 
Such are the prayers of heaven. This is the highest 
exercise of prayer. The prayer of confession becomes' 
us. All these should have a place in every prayer. 
What we here consider however is the prayer that 
asks and receives, that is the Prayer of Power. It 
consists of a right conception of the One we pray 
to, the one who prays, the thing asked for, and the 
asking. 

I. The One Addressed. We should study God in 
considering our rights and privileges and duties as to 
prayer. 

(i) God's character. He is good. We come to a 
123 



124 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

kind and benevolent being who loves to give. All 
that exists came from him and is sustained by him. 

(2) His cause and glory is involved in us and our 
condition. He made us and we are subjects of his 
wisdom and providence. Especially has he placed his 
cause and gospel in our keeping. 

(3) We are related to him. We are his offspring. 
We are his sons and daughters. He is our Father. 
We have the children's place and rights. 

(4) We bear the name of his Son. We are Chris- 
tians. We use that name also in asking. 

(5) We have God's promises to present. There are 
thousands of them and they cover every condition and 
need. 

(6) Another ground of prayer is the love of God 
for us. It is easy to give to one who loves. John 
16: 20. 

(7) Finally we have the aid and intercession of the 
Holy Spirit in prayer. Rom. 8:26. 

2. The one addressing God in prayer. Who has 
a right to pray the prayer of power? All have a right 
to address God in prayer but not all have this power in 
prayer, as we have all learned to our sorrow. Yet we 
may become such. 

(i) ^If ye abide in me and my words abide in you 
ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you.'' 
John 15:7. Two conditions are here, "Trust and 
obey." 

(2) The purpose must be right. "Ye ask and ye 



POWER IN PRAYER 125 

receive not because ye ask amiss that ye may consume 
it upon your lusts." James 4:3. A sinful intention 
will stop the answer. ^If I regard iniquity in my 
heart the Lord will not hear me." Ps. 66: 18. Yet 
this does not call for perfection. '^Elijah was a man of 
like passions with us" yet had mighty power in prayer. 
James 5: 17. It is worth while to get right with God 
in order to have power in prayer. 

3. The thing asked mitst he right. *^This is the 
confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything 
according to his will he heareth us, and if we know that 
he hear us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have 
the petition that we desire of him. John 5-14-15. 
The will of God means his revealed will; that is, the 
Bible. We should therefore find Bible ground for our 
petitions, a promise or precedent for our request. Nor 
is there any line between temporal and spiritual things. 
All things are possible to him that believeth, as many 
promises declare. 

4. The asking needs to he right. It requires to be 
"effectual fervent prayer." James 5: 16. A listless 
asking, cold, dead prayers, obtain nothing nor does 
this mean long prayers nor loud praying, nor many 
calls. The short, almost silent prayer may be the 
greatest. 

We should cultivate prayer. Study the prayers of 
the Bible and see how they were offered. Argue your 
case with God. Set forth reasons why he should 
answer, not in presumption, but as Jacob in Peniel. 



126 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

Get others to pray with you. Not many but one or 
two. It is the two that prevail. Matt. i8: 19. Per- 
severe until the answer is given. L^earn to grasp the 
answer. Mark 11 : 24. "To believe that you 
receive." Learn to w^ait. "Trust in the Lord and 
wait patiently for him.*' Begin with some small but 
definite matter and having secured an answer pass 
on to greater things. Great praying needs prepara- 
tion, perhaps fastings and watchings, certainly time 
and seclusion. Matt. 6:6. God loves to have us 
win victories in prayer. Gen. 32: 28. But there are 
great antagonists to overcome. Eph. 6: lo-iS. 
Prayer is battle. 



CHAPTER XXXVIII 
THE HOLY SPIRIT 

The great experirnental feature of Christianity is 

the possession and work of the Holy Spirit. The 

Holy Spirit is a Person as truly as Jesus Christ. He 

I is the author of all life and energy and especially of all 

( spiritual life. From the first sense of need in the 

sinner to the last support in death He is our life and 

i strength. His work may be outlined as follows: 

1. He convicts of sin, righteousness and judgment. 
1 John i6: 7-11. This is how we are shown our state 
land need of salvation. 

2. He reveals Christ to the convicted sinner. John 
16: 14. 

3. He regenerates or creates the new birth. John 

3:5-6. 

4. He witnesses to our salvation. Rom. 8: 16. 

5. He confers all spiritual gifts and graces, i Cor. 
12:3-13. 

6. Gives dying grace. Acts 7: 55. 

7. Is the same power and life as Christ himself 
possessed. John 20: 22. 

It is the Christian^s privilege to be filled with the 
Spirit. For while all Christians have the Spirit, Rom. 
8: 14, not all are always filled. This filling is essential 

127 



128 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

to all Christian life and conduct. The effects may be 
characterized as peace, purity and power. In these 
three respects or the want of these we may know 
whether or not we are filled with the Spirit. 

1. Peace. One filled with doubts, hatreds, preju- 
dices and restlessness is not filled with the Spirit. For 
while Christians may have dark hours, as did Christ 
in Gethsemane, and as Paul had, 2 Cor. 4: 7-8, there 
will be through it all an abiding faith in Christ and 
assurance that all is well with the soul. One may 
also be assailed with doubts but they will not be abid- 
ing unbelief. 

2. Purity. The fullness of the Holy Spirit will 
give victory over temptation and indwelling sin. This 
is not sinless perfection but victory over sin. The 
Christian's sin comes from the flesh. The new nature 
cannot sin. When one yields to the flesh sin is sure 
to come. I John 3: 9. Rom. 8: 3-1 1. 

3. Power. There will be power in prayer, Rom. 
8: 26, power in service, Acts 1:8. The gifts of the 
spirit are given sovereignly yet may be desired and so 
received, i Cor. 12: i-ii, 31. 

Why some are not filled with the Spirit, (i) Un- 
belief in the need or possibility of the Holy Spirit's 
filling us. (2) No desire for this blessing. (3) Be- 
ing filled with other things. (4) Be^ng under deplet- 
ing influences, as worldly associations. (5) Wrong 
motives in asking. (6) Grieving the Spirit. (7) 
Resisting the Spirit when He speaks. (8) Avoiding 



THE HOLY SPIRIT 129 

duty and self-sacrifice. (9) Taking no means of 
filling or preserving the fullness of the Spirit. 

The means of filling with the Spirit are many, (i) 
Prayer for His fullness. (2) Study of the Word. 
This is the fuel the fire feeds upon. (3) Spiritual 
surroundings, as spiritual meetings, etc. (5) Crucify- 
ing the flesh with its affections and lusts. (6) Cross 
bearing. (7) Constant yielding to the Spirit's call. 
The Spirit is to be received by faith as we receive 
Christ himself. Gal. 3:2-14; John 20:22. The 
Christian's first care is to keep filled with the Spirit. 
So he is ready for all conflicts, all duties and death 
itself, or the coming of the Lord. Matt. 25: 4. 



CHAPTER XXXIX 
HOW TO WIN SOULS TO CHRIST 

The Christian is saved to save others. It is by 
believers that faith spreads. Preaching is the great 
public agency of saving the lost but personal testimony 
and effort comes next and in some cases, as in our 
own times, it is the greatest agency. When Christ 
said, "Ye shall be witnesses unto me," He meant 
witnessing to the unsaved and that by individual 
testimony. 

Saving souls is the greatest of arts. * ^He that winneth 
souls is wise" and needs to be wise also. It should 
be studied and practiced. Each one should keep a 
prayer list of the unsaved and pray for them, and, as 
opportunity offers, speak or write or send someone 
else to them or get them to a meeting or send good 
books or tracts to them. If one will keep this work 
constantly in mind, praying daily for opportunities, 
he will save many a soul and will himself be kept in a 
good state. There is no better way of growing in 
grace than to keep so one is ready for this work. 

We give some practical hints as to how to save souls. 

I. Inquiry should be made of the one approached 
as to his state, whether ready to accept Christ or inter- 
ested or resisting. A little conversation will often 

130 



HOW TO WIN SOULS TO CHRIST 131 

reveal his state. Often such conceal any interest they 
may have by a seeming careless demeanor or even 
pretended opposition. But the person in a Christian 
land, especially under Christian influences or services, 
will have some interest and often the adversities of 
life, deaths in the family and sometimes, but not so 
often, blessings will create interest unsuspected to 
others. 

2. Having ascertained as well as possible his state 
{ present the gospel as his personal need. It is well 

not to discuss denominational differences with the 
unconverted or indeed any disputed points. Keep 
close to his own need of Christ. 

Present that phase of the gospel he seems to need. 
If ready to become a Christian show what it is to 
believe in Christ. If he is still unconvinced show him 
his need of Christ as a lost sinner along three lines, 
his actual sin and sins, his omission of known duty, 
the certainty of coming judgment. 

When he seems ready to accept Christ have him 
commit himself to Christ by a definite acceptance. 
Pray with him and have him pray for himself. 

3. It is the immediate duty of one accepting Christ 
to openly confess him. If a meeting is in progress he 
should do so there and then. He should also confess 
Christ at home and among his business associates 
whenever a suitable opportunity calls for it. 

4. It is well to take the name and address of the 
person and hand it to a minister of his denomination 



rr^ \L lat 



Yk 1911 



132 A BUSY MAN'S BIBLE 

or some Christian who will see him and give further 
aid and encouragement. 

The difficulties and questions met with in deaUng with enqui- 
rers may be answered from scripture as given in "The Bible Man- 
ual," by the author of this, a small pocket book to be carried 
with one, 25 cents. 



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